Kenneth Ronald Silk

Kenneth Silk was born or September 23, 1937 in Los Angeles. His grandparents came from Czarist Russia and eventually settled in Los Angeles where his parents met and married. His father Jack was a bookkeeper who died at 55 when Ken was 25. His mother Susie died at 43 from cancer while Ken was in high school. Ken did not have any brother or’ sister except half-sister Debbie born in 1957 to his father and his second wife who died years ago. Debbie lives in Houston Texas and has a boy (Jack) and a girl (Emily). Ken grew up in the Carthay area while attending Carthay Circle Elementary School he participated in the World War II effort by collections and buying stamps. He attended John Burroughs Jr. High where he played base in the orchestra. He attended L.A. High School where he participated in debate, graduated with honors and won a national history contest. In 1958 he got his bachelor’s degree at USC majoring in political science and being Phi Beta Kappa. In 1961 he graduated from USC law school where he was 3rd in the class and articles editor of the law review. Ken passed the state bar exam and was admitted to practice in 1962. Ken served in the Air Force Reserve from 1961-1967 at March Air Force Base as a clerk and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. Ken practiced law for 40 years until his retirement in 2002. He did research work and document preparation for other attorneys, argued in court on law and motion matters, and served as attorney for some executors in probate estates. Ken and Lorrin C. Brown were domestic partners since 1985. They had a pet cockatiel who died on June 17, 2017. Ken traveled to all 7 continents, around 70 countries and most states. His last trip was to Cuba in 2015. Ken was active in the Democratic Party serving on the LA Democratic County Committee and as Secretary and the Board of Stonewall Dem. Club, Democrats for Israel and Action Democrats. He was an alternate at the 1992 Democratic Nation Convention that nominated Clinton and delegate to many California Democratic state conventions. Since around 1988 he has been on the board of Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley. Ken was a founder of the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council and served as its secretary. After moving to Encino he has been serving on the board of the Encino Neighborhood Council.