Kenneth Gordon Presthus

Kenneth Gordon Presthus was born in Portland on Oct. 26, 1946, to Arthur and Helen Presthus. Ken passed away peacefully on Nov. 26 at home in Astoria, with his partner, Coreen, by his side. He had ongoing side effects from a stem cell transplant done in 2021 for bone marrow cancer. At the onset of his illness in 2019, he rode his Harley-Davidson motorcycle to the Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute once a week. Ken graduated from Centennial High School in Portland in 1964. He played trombone in the band, and marched in the Rose Festival parade. He attended Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. Ken married Karen Darby in 1969. Their son, Bryan, was born 1973, and daughter, Heidi, in 1979. They later divorced. Ken married Carole Frye in Tacoma. Carole died in 2010 in Yuma, Arizona, where they lived after retirement. Ken joined the U.S. Navy Reserves in 1963, while in high school. The Navy orders came to go into active duty in August 1966. Ken went to medical corpsman training in San Diego and at Naval Hospital Bremerton, in Washington, before receiving orders for duty in Vietnam. He was stationed on the USS Sanctuary, a Navy hospital ship, and attached with the U.S. Marines. He was honorably discharged in 1975 after two tours in Vietnam. Ken decided the U.S. Coast Guard was having more fun, so he joined the Coast Guard Reserves. He became a boatswain’s mate first class until his retirement from the military on Nov. 1, 1994. Ken was employed by Pierce County, Washington, at the Remann Hall Juvenile Detention Center in Tacoma as the building maintenance supervisor. He retired in 2000. Ken, traveling in his motorhome towing his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, came to visit his friend, Coreen Bergholm, in Astoria. They had played in bands in Yuma, and resumed playing in Astoria. He joined the Scandinavian Country Band and played tuba at the Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival dances and at an accordion concert. Ken and Coreen billed themselves as “The Squeezer and the Geezer.” Another joy was playing music with the North Coast Symphonic Band, and at senior facilities. Ken was an accomplished brass player and an exceptional harmonica player. He participated in harmonica festivities in Washington, and played guitar and harmonica with the Washington Old Time Fiddlers. Ken was a member of the Family Motor Coach Association and joined Frustrated Maestros, a musical chapter of FMCA. He became the band director for area and national rallies, playing and leading the band with his trombone. He was president of the northwest chapter until June 2023. Ken was a life member of Elks Lodge in Yuma, a member of the Sons of Norway and the Astoria American Legion. Ken was a kind, caring and loving person. He had friends all over the country from playing music and traveling in the motor home. He was often called to help friends with projects. He was a fix-it man! Ken is survived by his partner, Coreen Bergholm; daughters, Heidi Presthus, Donna Delgado and Lynnette Shaw (Mark Goldberg); son, Ronnie Crank (Marlena Prettyman Crank); granddaughter, Kristen Lawson; cousins, Cole Presthus (Judy) and Jill Calmar (Doug); sister-in-law, Lisa Burdge (Don); and nephew, Christopher Burdge. He has cousins living in Trondheim, Norway, whom he met on a trip to Norway in 2015. Ken was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Colleen Lloyd; his son, Bryan; and stepdaughter, Diana Segorski. At 10 a.m. on April 13, an interment service will be held at Ocean View Cemetery in Warrenton, followed by a noon musical celebration of life on the second floor of the Astoria Elks Lodge No. 180, 453 11th St. Ken enjoyed the Astoria Nordic Heritage Park. Donations may be given in his memory to the Astoria Nordic Heritage Park, P.O. Box 34, Astoria, OR., 97103. The family thanks all the doctors at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland (four specialists) and the nurses at the Columbia Memorial Hospital-OHSU Knight Cancer Collaborative for all their care of Ken throughout his medical journey.