Kenneth Carroll Hume

Kenneth Carroll Hume, born July 13, 1924, passed away on November 9, 2013 at the age of 89. His life was devoted to service to his country and community, business development and finance and, most importantly, to his family. His wife of over 50 years, Barbara Byers Hume, passed away in 2002. He is survived by his partner for the past 10 years, Katerine 'Kitty' Bassett, daughter Kendra Hume and her husband Peter Eulau and their children Jarred and Alex, and daughter Lynne Saxton and her husband Ron Saxton and their son Andrew and his wife Taya.

Ken was the oldest son of Carroll and Marie Hume, who bought Mulholland's Grocery in north Portland in the middle of the Great Depression. Ken and his brother Clifford grew up learning how to stock shelves, clean meat blocks and deliver groceries for Hume's Grocery, in addition to picking hops and raspberries with their grandmother.

As a member of the Class of 1942 at Jefferson High School, Ken was All-City Center in basketball, a sport he supported throughout his life, whether it was shooting hoops with his daughters before dinner(free throw practice occurred in the rain in Oregon and the snow in Alaska), supporting University of Oregon basketball(where he was freshman year) or helping build the Great Alaska Shootout college tournament in Anchorage. One of his favorite banking successes was finding funding for Harry Glickman when he was starting the Portland Trailblazers. Ken was honored for his business and industry success by the Jefferson High School Centennial in 2009 as one of their 'Outstanding 100' graduates.

Turning down a scholarship to Yale, Ken enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps after seeing a World War II newsreel. Following a back injury during military service, Ken returned to the University of Oregon on the GI Bill. Though basketball beckoned again, he graduated and focused his career efforts on work at the Bank of California and First National Bank of Oregon, where he served as a Senior Vice President before taking a position as President of the Alaska State Bank in Anchorage in 1969. He began his own company in 1971, which included Denny's Restaurants in Anchorage and Fairbanks and Alaska Seafood Inc., supplying seafood to European markets. Throughout his career, he always played an active role in the community: President of the Oregon Heart Association, the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Anchorage Association, in addition to numerous boards.

Ken married Barbara Byers (Grant High School, University of Oregon) at Westminster Presbyterian Church in 1950. They enjoyed their three grandchildren, Neskowin, tennis, Black Butte, art and antiques, Pacific City and most of all, time with family and friends in Oregon and Alaska. Ken remained an avid athlete throughout his life, enjoying golf(hole in one at Columbia Edgewater), tennis and clam digging on the Kenai Peninsula.

For the past 10 years, Ken, and the second love of his life, Kitty Bassett, have been active and enthusiastic members of the Terwilliger Plaza community, enjoying family, activities and each other!

Ken's greatest gift was his enjoyment of everyday life and his relentless consideration of others, whether they were friends, neighbors, family, co-workers or simply members of the community. Always optimistic, always ready to encourage others, he worked hard and inspired love and loyalty from all who knew him. His generosity, sense of humor and quiet thoughtfulness will be missed, and the example he set will be valued forever.

A memorial reception will be held at Terwilliger Plaza on Sunday, November 24 from 10am to noon.

Remembrances should be sent to the Semper Fi Fund(Marine Corps), the University of Oregon Foundation or Youth Villages Oregon.