KUCHER, Kenneth Michael
February 8, 1962 - December 31, 2013
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Ken Kucher of Seattle, WA, formerly of Drumheller, AB on 31 December 2013 from complications related to liver disease. Ken was born in Vilna, AB to Kate and Alex Kucher and moved at age 11 to Kelowna, BC. At Spring Valley High School he developed a group of friends that he would have and cherish for the rest of his life. He then worked in Calgary as a cartographer and later moved to Drumheller where he became a founding employee of the Royal Tyrrell Museum, helping to build its first exhibits. He spent 18 years there as a Palaeontological Technician, a career he loved with co-workers he enjoyed. Ken was widely known for his skill as a top preparator and field technician, expertly collecting specimens and training a generation of young palaeontologists in fieldwork. All while having a lot of fun. He was very proud to have been selected to represent the museum at an exhibition in Japan. He was also a staff member of the Tyrrell’s Field Experience Program at Dinosaur Provincial Park where he met his wife, Gretchen. In 2001, Ken moved to Seattle and in 2002 he and Gretchen were married. Over the course of the next decade, Ken was a contractor with his own business, Reprodactyl, Inc. and did some of his most favourite projects, among them a Supersaurus in Bynum, MT, the Blue Whale Project with Palcoprep in Drumheller and working for the American Museum of Natural History on a travelling exhibition. He loved cooking and entertaining, travelling around the deserts of the southwest and being a proud Canadian living abroad. Ken was well known for his wry sense of humour, practical jokes and all around levity. Despite his illness, he never lost that sense of living for the moment and enjoying it. Those who know him will miss him dearly. Ken is survived by his wife, Gretchen, and his cat, Weasel. He is also survived by his mother, Kate Kucher, brothers Ron (Judy) and Allan (Donna) and sister-in-law, Kris, along with nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews and mother-in-law, Susan Marks. He was predeceased by his father, Alex; sister, Pat; brother, Doug; and father-in-law, Albert Marks. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, 8th January at noon at Washelli Funeral Home in Seattle, WA. In lieu of flowers, donations will be gratefully accepted by the Royal Tyrrell Museum Cooperating Society in Drumheller, Alberta or your charity of choice. To send condolences online, please send to g_onroad@hotmail.com.