Kenneth “Ken” Clark Wilhoit of Greer, South Carolina, passed from this world into a far more beautiful one on Tuesday, January 2nd, 2018, following a three and a half year battle with cancer. He is survived by his beloved soul mate and wife of 41 years, Sherry (Fuller) Wilhoit, their son, Jonathan Wilhoit and his wife Becky, and three precious grandsons, Russell, Henry, and Odin, as well as a sister, Jeannie Prewett and husband Danny of Fall Branch, Tennessee, niece Emily Wells and husband Sam of Simpsonville (SC), brother-in-law Paul Smith of Snowflake, Virginia, and sister-in-law Buleah Fuller of Knoxville, Tennessee and several nieces and nephews.

Ken was born December 11th, 1953 in Greeneville, Tennessee to Clark Howard Wilhoit and wife and Helen (LaFollette) Wilhoit. Growing up, he enjoyed sports of all kinds, but especially football and baseball. As a teenager and at Emory and Henry College, he played football as a center. He was an active member of Sigma Alpha Kappa fraternity at Emory and Henry, where he was known for a loud, jovial laugh and good natured (if not occasionally mischievous) spirit. Ken met his beloved wife of 41 years on a blind date, and they were married only 12 weeks later. In more than four decades as a couple, Ken and Sherry raised one son, Jonathan, as well as countless German Shepherds and Cardigan Corgi dogs. Ken had a deep love for raising puppies into accomplished show dogs on the AKC circuit and proudly running his Thornrose Kennel at his home in Greer, South Carolina.

Ken had a long career in finance, audit, and government contracting at companies like Raytheon, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and Fluor Corporation. To his many coworkers, he was often described as a hard worker who always had a joke or one-liner at the ready to keep the daily task of the job light and fun. Outside of work, Ken was a devoted husband and father, a dyed-in-the-wool University of Tennessee football fan, and an avid tailgater during his son’s own college football days at Coastal Carolina University. Ken’s tailgate grill was always a warm place for friends and family to congregate on the coldest of game days, and he always had a good margarita ready for you when you got there.
Ken adored his wife, son, and grandsons, and lead a life devoted to God and family – and in the process, he brought 64 years of joy and fun to so many people. He will be missed dearly. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations and memorials be made to Sarcoma Warriors, PO Box 24190 Greenville, SC 29616. A Celebration of Life service will be planned for late Winter, with arrangements to be announced at a later date.