Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Born on April 24, 1956, in Spokane, Washington, to Roger and Mardette Flodin, Kerry Flodin was a talented visual artist and a man who loved his family, good music, the island lifestyle, and good times spent with those he loved.
Kerry grew up in Bellevue, Washington, where he attended Surrey Downs and Enatai elementary schools and Bellevue Junior High. He graduated from Bellevue High School in 1974 and broke family tradition by attending Washington State University and joined his godfather’s fraternity, Phi Delta Theta. He took a semester off to find his passion and decided to enroll in the visual communications program at Western Washington University, where he earned his bachelor of science degree in 1979, finding an outlet for his immense artistic talent.
Immediately after finishing his last final exam, Kerry boarded a plane and moved to Maui, Hawaii, with his good friend Jim Price. On Maui, Kerry worked at a number of retail stores, selling “Aloha wear” to the many tourists. He also started his own business, Flo Design, screen-printing garments on the floor of his apartment. After two years, Kerry moved back to Bellevue, where he worked at Bellevue Art and Frame and created his own art pieces to be sold at the Bellevue Arts and Crafts Fair.
However, he was not finished living on Maui, so in 1985, he moved back to the Island to further pursue his passion for imprinted sportswear celebrating the island lifestyle. Kerry then brought the island lifestyle back with him when he returned to Washington and landed his next job as art director and production manager with Jane Ink, a large screen-printing company in Seattle.
On April 15, 1987, while playing pool at his favorite tavern, Smokey Joes, Kerry met the love of his life, Kathy Hennessy. Kerry and Kathy were married on August 27, 1988, at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Medina. He opened his own company, TOPDECK Sportswear, in Kirkland in 1989, selling nautical imprinted clothing.
The highlight of Kerry’s life was when he and Kathy welcomed into the world their twin sons Spencer Douglas and Neil Patrick on July 8, 1998. Kerry’s dream was to build his own home using his own creative skills, so he and Kathy bought land in Leavenworth, Washington, and built their dream home, where they raised their family. Kerry built a screen-printing shop into the house so he could work from home, and opened Alpen Art, a business he operated until 2016.
Kerry and Kathy were visiting Kathy’s sisters in Phoenix when they found their next perfect home in Peoria on Desert Harbor in 2018, and decided to make that their retirement home, surrounding themselves with a community of friends they held dear.
Being near water was always ideal for Kerry. He enjoyed a life-long love of boating, from boating around Puget Sound at the family beach house to crewing a 50-foot sailboat around Oahu. When Kerry and Kathy moved to Phoenix, one of the first things Kerry purchased was an electric pontoon boat, which he named “Ohana,” a Hawaiian term for family. Kerry loved to captain the boat and entertain family and friends. He also volunteered for many years on the log boom patrol at Seafair in Seattle.
Kerry also loved music and was a talented guitarist. He was passionate about his record collection, and he especially loved the music of Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Joe Bonamassa. Kerry enjoyed putting his design skills and creativity to work in so many ways, including interior design, woodworking and even making furniture from wine barrels. Kerry always had a project going.
Kerry often said that if you loved what you did, you’d never have to work a day in your life – a motto he lived every day until his passing at home on March 28, 2024, after a brave battle with cancer.
Celebrating Kerry’s memory are his loved ones here on Earth, including wife Kathy (Hennessy) Flodin of Peoria, Arizona; son Spencer Flodin (and partner Allie Scheifele) of Mukilteo, Washington; son Neil Flodin of Kirkland, Washington; brother Douglas Flodin (and wife Suzanne) of Dallas, Texas; an aunt, Ada Flodin of Sequim, Washington; and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, brothers in-law, sisters in-law, and cousins.
Welcoming Kerry to Heaven are loved ones who have gone before him, including Roger Douglas Flodin (father), Mardette (Degarmo) Flodin (mother), Leslye Lewis (sister), Maldur and Edna Flodin (paternal grandparents), Gerald and Marjorie Degarmo (maternal grandparents), Lyle Flodin (uncle) and Alan DeGarmo (uncle).
The family would like to thank RD Hospice for their passionate care over the last couple weeks of Kerry’s life.
A Celebration of Life honoring Kerry Flodin will be held on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at the family’s home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you celebrate the island lifestyle in laid-back fashion, surrounding yourself with family and friends, and raise a toast to Kerry.
