Thomas Carlyle Kenney, 87

Thomas Carlyle Kenney, 87, of Post Falls,Idaho, went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at his home on May 8, 2015. He died unexpectedly while preparing for something he dearly loved - going fishing with his sons.

Tom was born Feb. 12, 1928, in Wellington, Kan., to Alexander and Grace (Grasham) Kenney. Tom grew up in Englewood and Wellington, Kan., graduating from Wellington High in 1945.

Tom enlisted in the Navy at age 17 in 1945, and served with others manning the guns and then as a radar technician on the destroyer USS Massey. Following his time in the service, Tom attended Fort Hays State College and Wichita State in Kansas. In 1949, The Boeing Company in Wichita hired Tom as an electrical engineer for Boeing.

Tom married Barbara Rosa Horsch on Aug. 4, 1951, and they made their home on a farm in Wellington. They moved to Wichita in 1963, then lack of work in Wichita forced the family to move to New Orleans, La., where Tom worked for Boeing on the NASA Saturn rocket program. In 1966 the family relocated again to Bellevue, Wash., where Tom became an engineering manager supervisor on the new 747 program in Everett, Wash. He was highly respected and made friends with many.

Tom met his current wife, Delphine Marie Peterson, "Della," in early 1978 at Boeing in Everett, and they were married in Hawaii on July 24, 1979. He became Dad and Grandpa to her family. After 41 years at Boeing, Tom and Della retired in 1990 to Big Lake near Mount Vernon, Wash., where water sports and fishing for crab were his pleasures. The couple became snowbirds and traveled the country and Mexico. After many years of traveling, they gave it up and moved in 2003 to Post Falls where two of Della's children lived.

Tom loved to boat and fish, and instilled that love into all his boys. He was also a lifelong sports fan, his favorite being football. He was active, enjoyed time in his workshop building things, vegetable gardening and landscaping chores, and was a valued member of Lakeside Church in Liberty Lake.

Tom had a series of health problems - colon cancer, a heart attack, and had a quadruple heart bypass, but had enjoyed almost perfect health for the past 15 years.

In recent years, Tom and Della were involved in Guardian Angel Ministry where they shared God's Word and songs of faith with the elderly. Tom was truly and humbly grateful for this blessing.

Tom was preceded in death by wife Barbara and son Timothy, and is survived by his wife Delphine "Della" of Post Falls; daughter Mary Grace and Bob Mountain of Laramie, Wyo., son Patrick and Karen Kenney of Ravensdale, Wash., daughter Laurie and John Price of Richland, Wash., son Joseph and Tammy Kenney of Duvall, Wash., son Donald and Leah Lambert of Stanwood, Wash., son Robert and Annelli Kenney of Kent, Wash., and daughter Angela of Richland, Wash., and his extended family: daughter Debbie Teachout of Kingston, Wash., daughter Denise and Phil Olsen of Arlington, Wash., son Donald and Joy Calkins of Post Falls, and daughter DeeAnne and John Fauvor of Lebanon, Ore. Together, they had 25 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 30, at Lakeside Church in Liberty Lake, Wash., with a reception following.

Bell Tower Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements, and you may view Tom's online memorial at www.belltowerfuneralhome.com.