Remembering Ken Stilwell

We got some tragic news yesterday. (Was it only yesterday?) ... that our friend Ken Stilwell had died very unexpectedly.

Ken and Gigi Stilwell moved to Pana perhaps just six or eight months ago, I guess, along with their great-grandson Zacary, about 15 years old, whom they have raised from infancy. They had lived for some years in Mexico, and prior to that in Aspen, Colorado. Ken was just 71 when he died.

Ken was a loving husband to Gigi and father to Zach. He was a faithful servant of Jehovah and was a member of the congregation of Jehovah's witnesses on Panajachel.

Ken was an artist. He was a truly exceptional, gifted artist. We got to see some of his canvases, and it was very impressive. In his younger years, there were business associates who wanted to promote him, to make Ken well known and sought after as an artist. Ken said it was very tempting, since this was what he loved (the art, not fame) but he declined because he wanted to keep his life simple and focus on spiritual priorities. So he has taught art over the years.

Ken told us he was raised in foster care when he was a child. (Did he say he was in 7 foster homes? or 17? Some awful number.) And so when his great grandson Zach was born in difficult circumstances, Ken was determined to raise him himself. And they did. Zach was very close to Ken, and rather shy with others. It was so nice as we got to see Zach open up a bit over these last months, though! He helped Bill with a pesky computer challenge, and we enjoyed our time with Zach. But we are so sad for him now that he has lost his anchor, his Ken.

Gigi (short for great-grandma, a name she happily took on when they started raising Zach) is bubbly, vivacious, stylish woman with quite a history of her own. But she relied so much on Ken, and we lovingly worry about her too.

Ken was also an actor and... perhaps many other 'careers' in his life! He had a twinkle in his eye and a bright mind. We always enjoyed his insightful comments at our meetings in the kingdom hall. There were so many many more interesting stories in Ken's life that I never got to hear. I deeply regret that. And I look forward to seeing him again when he is resurrected to this earth when God 'wipes out every tear from our eyes, and mourning and crying and even death will be no more'! (Rev 21:3,4)

 I regret I don't even have a photo of the family! When you think you'll have people with you for a long time, you don't take photos! How quickly life changes. It takes our very breath away.

My love will go with dear Gigi and Zack. I think they will be leaving Pana before we get back to Guatemala. The loss of the three of them from Pana will leave a hole in our hearts for some time.

(PS, if I got any facts a little confused, or said too much, or if I left out something important, please forgive me.)