A fatal car accident last Thursday night claimed the life of longtime islander Ken Sudduth.
Known as Kenny to his friends, Sudduth, 48, grew up on Vashon and leaves behind a large number of friends and family, including two children, Haylee and Zack Sudduth.
Many who met Sudduth in recent years knew him as one of the bakers at Snapdragon, where he worked since it opened in 2012.
Adam Cone, who owns the cafe with his wife Megan Hastings, said that Sudduth first worked there as a handyman, as he had done when his family owned a restaurant in the same location.
When Cone needed baking help, Sudduth stepped in and learned the ropes, eventually working more than full time in that capacity.
“He was a natural,” Cone said.
Cone added that Sudduth was an extremely kind man, and each day when he left the cafe, he made a point of saying a personal good-bye to each of his coworkers.
“That is who he was,” Cone said.
The car accident occurred at about 11 p.m. Thursday, May 28, at the intersection of SW 204th Street and 111th Avenue. SW, according to Captain Josh Dueweke, who was among those who responded to the call from Vashon Island Fire & Rescue (VIFR).
Sudduth had been driving west on 204th and did not make the sharp turn onto 111th, when the vehicle he was driving left the road and hit two trees, Dueweke said.
Shortly after the accident, a sheriff’s deputy summoned VIFR, and responders arrived in less than six minutes, Dueweke said. Medics pronounced Sudduth dead at the scene.
King County Sheriff’s Office deputies and accident detectives also responded and investigated, said Sergeant Stan Seo, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office. Deputies and VIFR personnel secured the scene until members of the county’s Major Accident Response and Reconstruction (MARR) Unit arrived.
While an official report on the accident has not been released, Seo said that investigators believe speed was a factor in the crash.
By mid-afternoon Friday, a memorial to Sudduth had been erected where he died, with a cross recognizing him as a father, brother, son and friend.
A memorial service is planned for 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday at 18208 103rd Ave. SW on Vashon. Guests are invited to bring a dish or story to share.
