Chester M. Kaczenski March 7, 1943 - November 26, 2018

Chester (Chet) Kaczenski was born in Sweet Home to Mary Lillian and Henry Anthony Kaczenski. He grew up in Milwaukie and graduated from Clackamas High School. He attended art school and Clackamas Community College.

Chet was a firefighter for Clackamas Fire District and then for Portland Fire Bureau, retiring from the Hayden Island station as a lieutenant. He was proud of his 28 years as a firefighter. He loved the camaraderie and brotherhood of firefighters where his sense of humor and personality fit right in. He spent most of his retirement years in Sisters, Oregon.

He leaves behind his wife, Debby; daughters Tessa Richards and Meghan Kelley; sons Lou and Joe Kaczenski; eight grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and his sister, Mary Ann Brandon.

Chet's parents and his sisters Alice McHugh and Joanna Johnson predeceased him.

Chet was physically active all his life: ran marathons, Hood-to-Coast, fun runs, snow-skied, snow-shoed, water-skied, backpacked, canoed and kayaked, fished, hunted, herded buffalo (in Halfway, Oregon), flew small planes - so it is especially tragic that he died from pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease that severely restricted his activities. It was directly attributed to his fire­fighting job which he loved.

A service, which will include a Portland Fire Bureau Honor Guard, will be Saturday, January 5, 2019, 11 a.m. at Milwaukie Lutheran Church, 3810 SE Lake Rd., Milwaukie, OR, 97222. Lunch will follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to BrightSide Animal Center. 1355 NE Hemlock Ave., Redmond, OR, 97756. It is a no-kill animal shelter.