Former Kent City Councilman McCaughan dies

Former Kent City Councilman Len McCaughan received a moment of silence at Tuesday’s council meeting following his death last month.

McCaughan, 91, served on the council from 1974 to 1981. He was the council president in 1980 and 1981. Mayor Suzette Cooke offered the moment of silence at the start of the meeting.

”He was on the city council when I came to Kent in the 70s,” Cooke said. “He was always engaged in this community in the service clubs and was a giving individual.”

Cooke said she met McCaughan when she worked at the Kent Senior Center. McCaughan would sharpen knives for people at the center, which led to his nickname of “Mac the Knife.”

The former councilman also was known as “Mac the Birdman” for the numerous birdhouses he built.

“I think half of the residents of Kent have a Len McCaughan birdhouse,” Cooke said.

McCaughan passed away peacefully Nov. 18 surrounded by family, according to his obituary.

He graduated from Federal Way High School in 1944. He enlisted in the Air Corps at the end of World War II. He came home and met the love of his life, Dorothy, and married her in 1949. They settled in Kent.

Survivors include his wife, Dorothy; two sons, Ron and Mike; “favorite daughter” Janie; grandchildren, Maureen, Rudolph, Jacob and Alyssa; and his great-grandson, Miles. He was preceded in death by his son Marty.

If you met Leonard even once, you remembered him for a lifetime, according to his obituary. He left a positive impression on everyone he met. He was passionate about life, kind spirited and always put others first. The life of the party here and no doubt, in the hereafter.

Committal with military honors was Dec. 8 at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent. A celebration of life was Dec. 9 at the Kent Senior Center.

Len and Dorothy McCaughan in 1949. COURTESY PHOTO