Kenneth Allen Marcure lost his five-year battle of Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS Disease) on Sunday, July 15, 2012, in Kyoto, Japan.

Ken was born to Edward and Grace Marcure on Feb. 9, 1948, in Missoula, Mont. He attended his first year of school at Bryan Elementary in Coeur d’Alene, then through Dalton Gardens Elementary, Coeur d’Alene High School, North Idaho College, University of Montana and advanced education at the University of Hawaii, where he met his wife, Elizabeth Raidl of Salzberg, Austria. They married in Vienna on Oct. 3, 1980. They went on to teach at Kyota University in Japan. This spring they both retired there after many years.

Ken was the recipient of several scholarships and awards. He had a 4.0 grade average rating in all his studies. In 1966, he was the Coeur d’Alene High School Valedictorian and achieved similar honors at North Idaho College and beyond. In 1967, Ken was a candidate of the Rhodes Scholarship Award four the state of Idaho.

In his youth he was a member of Boy Scouts, DeMoley, Church and Choir and an advocate of physical fitness. His most enjoyable venture was swimming in Lake Coeur d’Alene on his summer visits home to Coeur d’Alene.

In his final days his sister, Judith (Judy) traveled from Sydney, Australia, to be with him until the end. They shared a remarkable bond for a brother and sister.

Ken was preceded in death by his father, Edward Marcure; beloved stepfather Robert C. Tyson; three aunts, Ruth Bennett of Missoula, Dorothy (Dottie) Harder of Coeur d’Alene and Virginia (Ginny) Hackman of Huson, Mont.

He is survived by his mother, Grace S. Tyson of Dalton Gardens; his sister, Judy (Judith) Marcure of Sydney, Australia; two stepbrothers, Bobby Tyson of Sioux Falls, S.D., and Denny Enyeart of Wenatchee, Wash.; and great-aunts, Lou Shamafelt of Pilot Rock, Ore., and Marge Edington of Edmonds, Wash.; and numerous cousins.

A memorial service will be held at a later date at the Lake City Center (formally Lake City Senior Center), 1916 Lakewood Drive, Coeur d’Alene, for those who wish to honor his life. The date will be announced in the Coeur d’Alene Press at a later date.