Ken and Tami

The Skagit Valley church is going to have to say goodbye to Ken and Tami Beach in the near future. When Trish and I made a three-day exploratory visit to Burlington for us to evaluate the possibility of working together in January 2007, we spent one night each with the Beaches, the Blunts, and the Wilkisons. Each family impressed us, but I'd have to say that Tami probably made the strongest impression of all (Ken was working at the hospital much of that weekend so we didn't get to spend as much time with him). Tami came across to us as a very compassionate and loving Christian lady, but one who wanted to get things going in a higher gear in the Lord's work here in the Skagit Valley. She was candid about problems the church had experienced in the past, but was also very positive in her outlook about what could come to pass in the future. She made us want to come here and be a part of the good things to come.

After we moved here in June, we quickly learned that Ken and Tami were good people to be around. Whether it was sitting with Ken in elders-preacher meetings and praying together for the needs of people in the congregation or sitting around a dining room table playing cards, there was a special bond of cammaderie and friendship with them. Obviously we aren't the only ones who have that kind of feeling about the Beaches. They will be missed by the whole church.

For quite a while, Ken had been aware of the danger of having his job (nurse anesthetist) replaced by anesthesiologists at Skagit Valley Hospital. When that came to pass, Ken first hoped to find employment at another hospital in commuting distance so he and Tami could still live in Mount Vernon. Ken is blessed/cursed with an occupation that is in great demand in some areas of the country while few jobs are available in other areas where the supply of physician anesthesiologists is greater. Eventually they concluded that would have to seek employment in some other part of the country. They visited hospitals in several places including Montana, Missouri, Virginia, but ended up accepting a job in northeastern Iowa. Ken will begin his work there in the near future, but they may be back here from time to time until their house sells.

Ken served as an elder of the Skagit Valley church. During that time, he served well in shepherding the church in the direction of greater service and commitment to doing the Lord's work and following carefully the teachings of Scripture. There is no doubt in my mind that I'm speaking for the whole church in saying that both Ken and Tami will be missed. We really and truly wish you didn't have to go, but we know that our loss will be a blessing to the kingdom of Christ in Iowa.