Captain Avery Kenneth "Ken" Loposer, USN (Ret) of Walla Walla, Washington, was called home to be with his Lord on Monday, June 27, 2016. He passed away peacefully in his home, surrounded by his family, after a brief hospital stay.

Ken was born to Avery Kenneth Loposer and Lurline Williamson Loposer on August 7, 1930, in Mobile, Alabama. He graduated from high school in 1947 and attended Springhill College for one year. He then entered the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, graduating in June, 1952.

He then began a Navy career of 27+ years, serving first on the USS Dortch near the end of the Korean War. He served on the USS Tulibee and in 1963 was assigned to the USS Ulysses S. Grant as Executive Officer. He subsequently commanded the attack submarine USS Snook while stationed in Bremerton, WA and the Polaris missile submarine USS John Adams in Pearl Harbor, HI.

Ken met his wife-to-be, Julia "Judy" Rank, in early 1954 in Philadelphia. They were married in November of 1954. Their oldest daughter, Deb, was born in February of 1956 in Charleston, SC. Their second daughter, Dinah, was born in Key West in 1957. Their third daughter, Amy, was born in New London, CT, in 1960 and their son, Pete, was born in 1963, also in New London.

In 1972, after 20 years of sea duty, Ken was assigned to Washington, D.C. This was followed by a three year assignment as the first Commanding Officer of the new Trident Training Facility in Bangor, Washington.

Ken retired from active duty in 1979. He became a member of the Poulsbo Rotary Club and served for six years as a member/chairman of the Board of Trustees of Olympic College in Bremerton, WA.

Ken and Judy retired to Sun City in Tucson, AZ in 1990, but returned to the Northwest in 2006 to be closer to their family. During the past ten years Ken was active in the Walla Walla Rotary, the Submarine Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Reserve Officers Association.

Ken is survived by his wife of 61 years, Judy, his daughters Deb (John) Fuller of Walla Walla, Dinah (John) Lindsey of Waitsburg, Amy (Micheal) Ruff of Colorado Springs, and son Pete Loposer of Walla Walla, as well as their five grandchildren and one great-grandson. He is also survived by five step-grandchildren and four step-great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at Christ Lutheran Church on Thursday, July 7, 2016, at 11:00 a.m., with Pastor Joel Ley presiding. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or a charity of your choice.

O God, Thy Sea Is So Great And My Boat Is So Small

- Winfred Ernest Garrison