Shockey Roots

At dawn on his 80th birthday, Kenneth Owen Hartley peacefully walked to meet his Lord, leaving behind a family and community who will be forever touched by his love, commitment and corny jokes.
Ken (“Owen” to childhood friends) was born in Moberly, Mo., to James Hulen and Helen Sue (Owens) Hartley, the first of four children and the only boy. Growing up, he relished his time outdoors – learning and working in Boy Scout camps as an Eagle Scout (his first visit to Oregon was a summer at Camp Meriwether), hunting, and fishing – with a dream of becoming a Forest Ranger. His path ultimately took him through Moberly Junior College to the University of Missouri in Columbia, and he graduated with a BS and MS in Civil Engineering.
For almost 50 years, Ken led large-scale capital projects across 20 countries, from mining to buildings to rail systems. He was recognized by Mizzou for his service in engineering and was one of the initial inductees to the Academy of Distinguished Alumni of Civil Engineering at the University. In addition to sharing his knowledge through lecturing and writing, Ken was deeply committed to the Project Management Institute (member #843). He was a repeat Board member and two-time Chair, and he participated in the PMI Educational Foundation, which shared project management skills with educators around the globe. His commitment to education lives on through endowed scholarships at Moberly Area Community College, University of Missouri and PMI.
After retiring to Oregon and settling on the banks of the Willamette River, Ken found his next passion with his church community and the Aurora Colony Historical Society. He served on the board and was instrumental in the building of the Preservation & Research Center. Every spring, Ken grew a bushy beard to serve as a one of the living history interpreters that hosted hundreds of Oregon 4th graders in hands-on learning on the Farm. Through a dear friend at ACHS, Ken also became well known at the American Red Cross, who credited him with saving over 200 lives with his blood/platelet donations.
Throughout his life, family was Ken’s most important accomplishment, and he never missed a chance to share a story about them with a stranger. He married Jean Shockey in 1962, with sons Michael and David soon following. He later married Sandra Cummins and they had two daughters – Jennifer and Blythe, the latter of whom he delivered at birth on Highway 17. His family grew through marriages, births, and the addition of the Schneiders in 2008. With his children and grandchildren, Ken shared his belief in education, love of travel and outdoors, strong faith, and deep generosity. He also put up with much ribbing at his expense, usually with a smile, and always accompanied with one of his own legendary “Dad jokes.”
Ken is survived by his wife of 45 years, Sandi; his four children, Mike (Aretha), Dave (Catherine), Jennifer (Vincent) and Blythe Sivie (Todd); sisters, Anne Hamilton (Gary), Denise Hartley and Rebecca Hartley; chosen family, Todd and Felicia Schneider; many nieces and nephews; and his loving grandchildren who will miss his funny faces and duck quacks.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:30 a.m., July 18, 2021, at the Aurora Colony Museum in Aurora, Ore. The family will also gather later this year to bury his ashes in the Hartley Family plot in Missouri, honoring Ken’s final wishes.
Please sign the online guest book at www.oregonlive.com/obits
Published by The Oregonian from Jun. 24 to Jun. 27, 2021.