Kenneth M. Ambers
February 11, 1933 - December 21, 2013
Kenneth M. Ambers (USN HT-1 retired) of Cheshire, Oregon passed away December 21, 2013 from complications from a stroke he suffered on November 24, 2013.He was born February 11, 1933 in Hamberg, North Dakota to Lewis and Olga (Simonson) Ambers, the 6th of 11 children.
Kenneth grew up in the Hamberg, North Dakota area farming until he enlisted in the United States Navy March of 1954 and retired September 30, 1974. He was stationed along the way on 10 ships mainly destroyers and submarine repair tenders. In 1966 he was on a ship in the gulf of Tonkin in the Vietnam war era. He married Valerie Ward of Vancouver, Washington April 3, 1960 and they had 2 sons. Along the way the Navy duty stations were at Hawaii, San Diego, Long Beach, Calif., Scotland where there was at that time a submarine base, then Seattle, Washington, Guam, and Vallejo, Calif.
After retiring, Kenneth and Valerie moved to So. Oregon, then Benton County and then moved to Cheshire, Lane County, Oregon. He was a past commander of the VFW post in Independence and also a past commander of VFW post #10639 in Junction City and up until his death had been a VFW member for 20 years. He was also a member of the Junction City Scandifest for the last 9 years and on Norwegian day he was the translator as his ancestors immigrated to the United States in the 1800's from Norway and their first language was Norwegian.
He is preceded in death by his son, Kai Ivan Ambers, his parents, and by 8 of his siblings. Survivors include his wife Valerie, son Jesse (Rhonda) Ambers of Elmira, Oregon, 2 granddaughters, brothers Judal and Alvern, and sister Clarice (Ambers) Fossen, all of Vancouver, Washington.
A funeral service will be on Saturday, January 4, 2014 at 1:00 pm at Farnstrom Mortuary, 401 Monmouth St., Independence, Oregon with interment following at Fir Crest Cemetery, 7753 Helmick Rd., Monmouth, Oregon. For photos and condolences, please visit Kenneth's memorial website at FarnstromMortuary.com.