After learning of Ken's passing today I have been thinking of all the
many hours we spent with Ken and Laurie over the last 33 years. Ken was
an astute and enjoyable person. He had a very interesting sense of humor
where he strives for the reactions of others to seemingly amazing facts
or off the cuff statements that were designed to cause folks to
re-evaluate common knowledge information. He loved pulling peoples legs
which then always ended with a SHEEESH response from Ken. Ken was all
about birding and discovering where birds lived in this state. He use to
say to me "wouldn't be great if we only had 10 good birders that lived
here! Just think what they could discover, sheeesh! Ken and Laurie
started a newsletter called Washington Birds which had many different
contributors that had been invited by Ken to write-up something about
their patch of the state they birded. I am lucky enough to have a
complete set of this wonderful labor of love. Ken enjoyed birders and
really enjoyed birding in Washington at all times of year. He would
invite us to go bird our way through 5-8 different counties and then
when night fell he would simply stop-go owl the area and then throw his
sleeping bag on the ground regardless of weather and with no extra
blankets go to sleep. I first met him while out birding here in Walla
Walla County one morning. Ken did not know a sstranger and if he thought
you were interested in birds or active birding he would recruit you to
write and article for Washington Birder or he would invite you to go
birding with him. Ken and Laurie were generous with there time and have
introduced many many folks to birding. So it is that I am saddened to
hear of Ken's passing and it is with grin that I think back on all the
wonderful adventures I had with this kind and wonderful person. I
propose a birding award to be given to the person that locates the
rarest species of the year and it should be called the Sheeshy in Honor
of Ken Knittle and his outstanding legacy in birding all 39 counties in
this state. Rest in peace my old friend.

--
Mike & MerryLynn Denny
Birding the Beautiful Walla Walla Valley
"If you haven't gone birding, you haven't lived"

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