Kenneth Ray Honeycutt, Sr. of Palestine, Texas, passed away on September 10, 2025 at the age of 82, in Tyler, Texas with his loving family by his side. All knew him as "Dad", "Papaw", “Red”, "Papa Red" and "Papa Honeycutt."
Kenneth was born in Palestine, Texas to Faye and Wren Honeycutt on May 11, 1943. He graduated from Westwood High School in 1962. He married Charlotte Moore on March 22, 1963 at Southside Baptist Church. Kenneth joined the Air Force in 1963 and did basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. After basic training, he graduated from Shepherd Air Force Base in Wichita Falls. Following graduation he was assigned to Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia. After two years, he received orders to go to Vietnam where he worked in communications with top secret clearance. After Vietnam he was honorably discharged. He and Charlotte then moved to Dallas. He started a career at Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) in Grand Prairie in 1966 working with computers in aviation. Kenneth and Charlotte started their family welcoming their daughter Shannon in 1968, and their son Kenny in 1972. They moved back home to Palestine in 1977 to be closer to their aging parents. Kenneth started his career with Texas Department of Criminal Justice in 1977 at Coffield Unit, and retired in 1997 after 20 years of service.
Kenneth served on the Board of Four Pines Water Supply for the last 35 years. He loved the outdoors and had a lifetime of making special memories hunting and fishing with his friends and family.
Kenneth was preceded in death by his parents and an older brother, Robert Honeycutt.
Kenneth is survived by his wife of 62 years, Charlotte Honeycutt. He is also survived by a son Kenneth Honeycutt, Jr. and wife Amy, daughter Shannon Vaughan and husband Terry; grandchildren, Lauren Vaughan and husband Hunter, Logan Vaughan, and Bayli Honeycutt and fiancé Corban. Along with his family, his breakfast crew and many close friends will miss his stories, his good-natured jabs, and the joy he brought to every gathering.
Visitation will be held at 2 p.m. with a Celebration of Life service immediately following at 3 p.m. Sunday, September 14, 2025 at Bailey & Foster Funeral Home Chapel in Palestine. Officiating the service will be Doyle Wood and Quinton Rogers.
Honorary pall bearers will be the Huddle House crew and coffee drinkers.
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