Kenneth Chaffee has passed

Above photo by Merie Weismiller Wallace, Mariana’s sister.

As you may know by now, Kenneth passed a week ago, in the early hours of July 10, 2025.  He had been seriously ill with advanced Parkinson’s and its ramifications and complications, and finally his body simply became too fragile to keep going.

Kenneth was opened in Claremont, California in early 1962, while he was still in college.  Later that year he moved back to his hometown, Berkeley, to go to graduate school. He did latihan in San Francisco until the Berkeley group formed, and latihaned in Berkeley until1970.  Kenneth became a helper, and he and I married in 1965.

In 1970, Kenneth and I traveled to Europe to follow Bapak and his party around from group to group, and toward the end of that first part of Bapak’s 1970 world tour, we were invited by Ibu Siti Sumari to join the tour and travel with them for the rest of the tour, and to come back with them to Cilandak to live. This was okayed by Bapak, so we quickly flew back to Berkeley, got our affairs in order, bought tickets, and rejoined Bapak’s party in Toronto, following them to America, then to Europe for the second European tour, on to South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, and finally to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Jakarta.

We lived in Wisma Subud for eight years, until May of 1978.  During that time Kenneth worked for several companies in data processing and also worked with Sampson Rheams to record the talks Bapak gave in Wisma Subud during that time period.  Our three oldest children, Rosalind, Margaret, and Livingston, were born during the time we lived in Indonesia.

We returned to California, and settled in Ventura, near his brother Hamilton, and we became part of the Ventura group.  Kenneth continued to work as a computer programmer, and our two youngest sons, Anthony and Lucas, were born in Ventura.

In late 1989 our family moved to the Seattle area, where we have lived ever since.

Kenneth was the kindest, best person I have ever known. We miss him deeply and pray that God will bless him and keep him always.  We are planning to offer a Selamatan on the 100th day after his death, on October 18, 2025.  We will send you details about that as arrangements are made and finalized.

Mariana Chaffee

Kenneth Chaffee., Berkeley, California, mid sixties

Kenneth in Cilandak for the 71 Subud World Congress.

Schedule Change!

Dear All:
Due to an error in scheduling communication the main house is not
available as announced for Sunday, June 29 for an Open House.
The latihan times are the same.
This event has been moved to Sunday, July 20th.
The committee is very sorry for the confusion,
Your committee

Note from Mariana about Kenneth’s condition

Kenneth is very sick, and I think is very much in the last part of his life here in this world. He sleeps most of the time and seldom responds to anything said to him.
He, and I and our children and grandchildren, need prayers and the latihan. Pray that Almighty God will bless him and keep him and make His face to shine on him and grant him His peace. And please pray that God will help us and forgive us.
We are grateful for the loving care of the helpers who have come to do latihan with him. It is greatly appreciated.
Update from today:
Kenneth sleeps most of the time and doesn’t really respond to what we say to him.  We want to bring him home, where we can take care of him.  We will have the help and support of home hospice. If he is able to recover somewhat, then that will be wonderful, and if not, then he will at least be in a familiar place with his family.

Kenneth Chaffee is in the Hospital

Kenneth Chaffee is a longtime Subud member living on the Eastside with his wife, Mariana.  He worked as an executive at Boeing for many years and did latihan in Seattle and the Eastside until health problems in recent years made it difficult to attend group latihan.  His health has been failing and could use your prayers and good thoughts during his last days here in this lifetime.  Please contact Mariana with messages of support or questions at mariana.chaffee@gmail.com.

Note from Oswald,

Dear Brothers and Sisters. An update on Kenneth Chaffee whom I just visited at Swedish Issaquah. I saw Mariana and Rosalind as well. They’ve been told that Kenneth has probably another week to live. He’s now in Cascade 3107 but will probably move to a different place for palliative care the next day or so here in Swedish.

Mariana said that she’s made it possible for anyone who wants to come to be able to visit or do latihan with him. They welcome prayers for their family and Kenneth as he goes through this last phase of his life here.’

Message from Adira!

Hello Everyone,
During the installation of the heating and cooling system,
Debbie & Ricardo noticed there had been a person sleeping
in our backyard at SUBUD Greater Seattle. The person is not
here anymore but some of their belongings remained.
These items had to be removed in order to install the heating
and cooling system.
The committee (Sarah, Lisa & Adira) would like to put a
fence in the corner of the backyard to help secure our property.
The cost of this fenced section would be $1,978.00.
If you’d like to discuss this at a meeting, we can do so.
However, our next regular General Meeting will not be until August 2025.
Meanwhile, I am willing to pay $700, and Debbie is willing to pay $300.
We need 20 members to contribute $50 each.
We do have an open house with potluck at the end of June, so if you’d like to discuss it
at the potluck we can. We can have a mini–General Meeting if you’d like, for those of us who are local. Let me know your preference.
I am taking steps to get a photo of where the fenced area would be located and if it has a gate included within the structure.
Thanks,
Adira

Note from Adira!

“Hello Everyone!
Sunday, June 29, 2025, is an Open House & Potluck following Latihan,
but we won’t have a General Meeting that day.
July 20, 2025, is also an Open House & Potluck following Latihan, but due to the National Congress taking place on the East Coast, we will not have a General Meeting that day.
Our next General Meeting will be Sunday, August 17, 2025, together with an Open House & Potluck.
Our new heating/cooling system gets installed this week!
Enjoy the beautiful weather!”