Tuesday, September 3, 2024
Our deepest condolences to cousins Greata and Linda, and of course Ken's wife Tara. Betsy and I were so sad to hear of his illness and final passing.
Ken, I knew you mainly as a boy. You came and lived with us for a while here in Norway when I was 12, - you were 16 I think. You treated me like your little brother -and that was great, but annoying. I guess you had been kept in line by your older sisters your whole life, and me being the oldest of three, got a taste of my own medicine, I guess.
You would tease me and I would get furious and try to pound you, but you simply held me at an arms length and laughed at my efforts.
We had a lot of fun together despite the age difference. I remember my dad took us camping once, and as we were waiting for a ferry to take us across a fjord,
Dad offered to buy us magazines to read in the car. "I want Playboy", you said. I was shocked, not by the fact that you wanted Playboy, but that my father actually got it for you.
Well we both enjoyed that magazine - great editorials. You were very popular with the girls, and our neighbor had a lot of those and you apparently attracted a lot of visitors - all girls.
You were very polite and gallant and Norwegian girls were not used to that, (I hope that has improved) but they apparently liked it a lot. Well, I tagged along and got a little attention myself because of your charm.
I am sorry we lost contact, but distance does that to kids. I meant to visit you in St Andrews a few years back, but my teenage kids got difficult when they learned we had an eight hour drive ahead of us from Greta and Larry's.
I am so sorry that visit never came to be
Rest in peace cousin.
Einar Valen
