Kenneth Lee Bader's Obituary
Kenneth Lee Bader; born June 27, 1930, to Leo John Bader and Ethel Fern Griffin, left his earthly body on May 16th, 2024.
He spent his youth in Metzger, Oregon, where he graduated from Tigard High School, and lettered in football, basketball and baseball.
His first job was a paper route for the Oregonian. He was the youngest to ever run a paper route, riding his bike all over town. He recalled joyfully that he was working in the office when a group of 'men in black' came in to 'hide' an alien story that was being printed.
Ken got his start in the masonry business while in high school, his shop teacher had built residential homes in the summer and did his own brick work, so Ken started helping him when he was just a junior in 1948. Ken worked for this individual for two years, learning the trade and received credit for his prior work experience for his apprenticeship. He earned his journeyman card with the Union in 1951. Ken's first union job was at Garden Home grade school with the late Paul Burge. Ken stayed with various contractors for several years, including Merle Schroeder and Paul Lesher. Ken also continued to work part-time in the Oregonian mail room on weekends until the strike in 1959.
While in school Ken met and fell in love “with the prettiest girl in school.” Married to Doris Jean Todd in 1950, they had children Linda, Mark and Holly.
This marriage lasted until 1966 but Ken remained fond of Jean up until his dying day, and shared the memory of mutual forgiveness before she passed in 1990. “I worked too much.” he had shared, but he loved his work deeply and in the same breath shared that “work was my mistress.”
His son, Mark recalls a time when Ken built a block building for an olympic sized swimming pool for another contractor. Ken drove around the town collecting the neighborhood kids in the back of his pickup, taking them to the swimming pool.
Ken started contracting, and primarily working on fireplaces and residential masonry. Eventually, he moved to the coast and worked from Manzanita to Florence. Ken worked with John Gray, and his high school classmate, architect, John Storrs, to build the lodge at Salishan and many of the homes there. He also stayed busy remodeling a home he had built for his parents in Gleneden Beach. Ken donated work to several projects on several occasions.
As a tradesman and instructor for Local 1, he spent 67 years in the trade. He took great pride in the projects that he had completed and often pointed them out even up until his final years.
In 2017 Ken received the John B. Scola Outstanding Instructor Award.
“With 67 years of experience, Brother Bader was among the first class of instructors certified by the International Masonry Institute. He spent over four decades teaching the craft through BAC’s apprenticeship programs and IMI’s Job Corps Program.
Throughout this time, he led by being the finest possible example of a true professional. He has been an extraordinary role model and an inspiration to apprentices and new staff alike. Many of those whose lives he touched chose a career in masonry thanks to his encouragement and support.
Notably, Brother Bader never limited himself to just one trade — he learned and taught stone, brick, marble, tile, and terrazzo alike. He was also instrumental in the widespread growth of masonry. He helped numerous apprenticeship programs improve their curriculum, program and recruitment goals.
Brother Bader has recruited and nurtured hundreds of talented instructors, coordinators and union staff, shaping many of today’s BAC leaders.”
“You will never find another person like Brother Bader.” Eleazer stated. “Many people work to live but if you ask Ken, he lives to be a Bricklayer. Many times, he has told me that masonry is his life.”
Ken remarried in 1982 to Patricia Jacobsen, together they owned Jacobsen’s Florist Shop. Ken recalled the many flower arrangements he did for weddings, the Rose Festival, the Sternwheeler and important businesses throughout Portland while he enjoyed his “retirement.” Ken and Patricia enjoyed ballroom dancing, their condo on the Willamette River, and shared an affection for each other that was unmatched. He also spent time organizing and participating in the annual Jacobsen golf tournament. He lived on Macadam until he moved to St. Helens with his grand-daughter, Kellie and her family.
He enjoyed spending time with his son Mark working on different projects, and watching stories about travel, aliens, boxing, home remodeling, and all sports in general. He talked about work and his family often, and really enjoyed eating ice cream in his final year.
“I've had a good life. I loved every minute of it. I would do it all again if I could.” said Ken.
Ken leaves behind his children; Linda Bader, Mark Bader, Holly Primiano; grandchildren, Kellie (Brandon) Smith and Carson Bader; and great-grandchildren, Ariana, Ashton, Garrett, Ethan, Paige, Aiyana, Roxanne and Gena.
A celebration, for the life of Kenneth Bader, will be held at Salishan on August 4th, at 4pm. Please rsvp to 503-369-7434.
Remembrances may be made to the Oregon Humane Society in the name of Kenneth Bader.
https://www.oregonhumane.org/donate/
https://nwlaborpress.org/2017/12/oregon-bricklayer-ken-bader-gets-outstanding-instructor-award/
https://bacweb.org/john-b-scola-outstanding-instructor-award
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