Lasting Memories
Kenneth Reginald Broome
May 19, 1925-March 11, 2017
Woodside, CA
Our dear father died one week ago today. It was a gorgeous spring day - the first fine weekend after our very rainy winter. He had been surrounded by his family the last weeks of his life.
Ken was well known in the community for his active involvement in the Rotary Club of Woodside, the World Affairs Council, the South Skyline Association, the League of Women Voters of the Peninsula and the parish of Our Lady of the Wayside in Portola Valley.
He lived with his wife of 62 years, Heather, on Skyline Blvd., Woodside, adjacent to his daughter and her family from 1994 to 2010 when he moved "down the hill" to what was then Woodside Terrace. Once there, he continued his community activities in addition to taking on President of the Residents Association. As an engineer, he also had plans to design a roof top solar system for the complex.
A member of the Greatest Generation, Ken was born in England and attended St. Dunstan’s College (private high school), London and then went on to St John’s College, Cambridge University, where he and Heather met in the Cambridge University Society for International Affairs (CUSIA). He obtained an MA in Engineering in under 3 years due to WWII and began a lifetime of engineering projects which spanned continents and technical realms.
He began his career working on the Lion and the Unicorn Building at the 1951 Festival of Britain in London before immigrating in 1952 with his wife and two young children on the Queen Elizabeth to work in the aerospace industry of Southern California and Florida, including designing booster rockets for the Apollo rocket space program.
In 1964, he moved north to the SF bay area to join Bechtel Corporation in San Francisco while living in the paradise of Marin in the 1960s. His projects in engineering included floating dry docks, oil projects in the Middle East, nuclear energy and prefabricated concrete housing.
In 1971, in the age before “startups” became commonplace, he joined an effort based out of Indiana that focused on prefabricated housing. In many cases, his ideas seemed ahead of their times - only to come to fruition years later.
He always moved on to the next idea which he threw himself into it with great enthusiasm and determination. He moved back to California in 1994 after two decades in Pennsylvania working with nuclear power projects, land development and an independent partnership, Williams and Broome, working on water power and other energy-related projects.
Far from retiring after his move back West, he patented his small scale hydropower idea and working with neighbors and his two grandsons in the South Skyline area, formed Aquajet to move the idea to reality.
Ken in his final years wrestled with reconciling religion and science and attempted to come up with a grand synthesis of the two that would inform how to live with purpose in this world.
He is survived by his 6 children: Claire Broome of Berkeley, Stephanie Broome of Palo Alto, Rosemary Broome of Woodside, Jenny Broome of Santa Cruz, Elizabeth Broome of San Diego and Martin Broome of Newbury Park. His 7 grandchildren are Gabriel Head of Houston, TX, Steven Head of Davis, Anne Widera of San Francisco, Chloe Lalonde of Atlanta, GA, Geoffrey Lalonde of Woodside, and Phoebe and Nicola Hall of Santa Cruz.
A service is planned for the 27th of May at Our Lady of the Wayside chapel in Portola Valley, CA at 11am with a gathering for remembrances afterwards on the grounds.
Aug. 10, 2017
I am sorry to see this months after his passing. I knew Ken many years ago due to our involvement with the World Affairs Council. He was exceptionally honest, decent and wise. Just the right advice at the right time. . a real mentor. I am sorry I didn't get a chance to reconnect with him. G-d bless the family.
March 28, 2017
Besides being supportive of the University, Ken was a loyal Johnian who almost always attended College events in the bay area and highly regarded by all. A deservedly popular man.
March 27, 2017
I have many great memories of Kenneth Broome. He and his wife Heather generously hosted an afternoon tea at their home just off the Skyline Drive during the wildflower season in 2007. Ken was a frequent attender at Cambridge Alumni events, including the annual Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race Dinner in San Francisco. He came out to our mixers at the Stanford Park Hotel, sharing his ideas. Sometimes I worried about him driving 84 late at night, but he never seemed to fear the roads. On a memorable evening he wanted to join a British American Business Council pub quiz as part of the Cambridge Alumni team and I suggested we took the BART for the latter part of the journey. He enthusiastically told me about building the BART and enjoyed the ride. On another occasion I was jogging at the end of 84 and found Ken with his dachshund taking a walk. Once I played the piano for a SpiritCare service at Brookdale (then Woodside Terrace) and Ken showed up. Another time I sang with the church choirs from Portola Valley and Woodside at Woodside Village church and who was singing too - Ken. He was a great conversationalist, a terrific encourager and lover of life. He will be missed.
March 24, 2017
My heartfelt condolences for the loss of your beloved, Kenneth. Please know that Jehovah God and his son Jesus Christ is aware of your pain and they care for you. (2 Corinthians 1:3,4) . I pray that you are able to find comfort in God's promise of paradise where there will be no more pain and sorrow (Revelation 21:4,5) and the many wonderful memories of your beloved becoming a reality in the future resurrection in paradise. (Acts 24:15). Please accept my sincere condolences. (JW.org)
March 19, 2017
March 19, 2017
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March 19, 2017
Ken was a great man, and a very important member of our Catholic Community at OLW Church. I will miss Ken, as I continue to miss his beloved wife Heather. With Deepest Sympathy, Rosemary Anderson