Kenneth Ward Brynestad died Dec. 25, 2017.

He was born June 29, 1926, in Tacoma to the late Carl and Agnes (Hauge) Brynestad. He graduated from Stadium High School in 1944, joined the U.S. Navy to become an aviator and finished training after World War II ended. He later joined the Naval Reserve and flew both Navy fighters and carrier patrol aircraft from Sand Point Naval Air Station in Seattle. There he met and married his wife of 64 years, Alice. He graduated from the University of Washington in 19953, majoring in forestry. He worked in the forestry field near Aberdeen, Wash., and later took part in surveying the route for Interstate 5 through the Seattle-Tacoma area. He returned to aviation and became an air traffic controller at Sea-Tac airport and later at the center in Auburn.

He and a friend spent several years creating a couple of home-built biplanes. From that he developed a reputation among the local aircraft homebuilders for excellent woodworking and attention to detail, building or repairing the wooden ribs, spares and stringers of wings and tails. Two of the projects he worked on were award-winners at the Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in in Wisconsin.

He was a member of Mountain View Lutheran Church since 1962 where he and his wife sang in the choir for many years and he served as president of the Church Council. He attended men’s Bible studies, worked on projects around the church and loved to chat over coffee after worship services.

He is survived by wife Alice (Gill) Brynestad; sons Mark Brynestad (Susan), Dale Brynestad (Julee) and Dean Brynestad; sister Joyce (Brynestad) Gilham; 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

A memorial service took place Jan. 3 at Mountain View Lutheran Church in Edgewood, Wash. Interment will be at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent at a date to be determined.