Kenneth NIX

Family-Placed Death Notice

NIX, Kenneth Judge Kenneth Owen Nix passed away Oct. 23, 2012, at Tranquility Hospice in Austell, Georgia, following a six-month battle with pancreatic cancer. Judge Nix was born October 4, 1939 in Atlanta, Georgia, to Owen Nix and Helen Crawford Nix Brown. He grew up in Grove Park in northwest Atlanta and graduated from West Fulton High School where he was an outstanding student athlete, sports editor of the high school newspaper, and member of the band. Ken attended Presbyterian College in Clinton SC on a football/baseball scholarship, and finished his undergraduate degree in 1961 at Emory University where he also earned a law degree in 1964. He became active in politics in 1970 when he first ran for Georgia House of Representatives, was elected to that office in 1972 and served until 1982. Ken was then elected to the State Court of Cobb County in 1982 where he served until being appointed by Gov. Zell Miller to the Superior Court of Cobb County in 1995. He retired from the bench in October, 2010. Ken married his best friend and sweetheart Charlene Scroggs on September 1, 1962, and from that marriage became the proud father of five children: Kenneth Owen Nix Jr., William Keith Nix, Kevin Crawford Nix, Kimberley Charlene Nix Chunn and Karen Anita Nix Mixon. From the marriages of his children, he delighted in becoming the grandfather of "the 13 most wonderful grandchildren in the world". Paw-Paw will be missed by his own grandchildren and other children across Cobb County for whom he was Santa Claus for the past 35 years. Ken, or "Rookie", as he was known to friends, began coaching football and baseball at age 18 and continued that for 30 years. He also officiated sports and played softball for much of his adult life. He was still playing and directing the Men's Senior Softball League in Smyrna until April when he became ill. Judge Nix was a cornerstone of Bethany United Methodist Church where he was a member his entire life. He also served on the Board of Trustees of Life University and the Cobb Hospital Authority. Ken was predeceased by his parents and grandparents. He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, sister Joan Brown Flewellyn, brother Tony Brown, and nieces Andrea Lee, Emily Bishop, Katie Stanford, and Mandy McBride. A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012, at 1:00 PM at Marietta First United Methodist Church in Marietta, and the family will receive friends from 12:00 - 12:45 at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made in Judge Nix's memory to Bethany United Methodist Church Building Fund, 760 Hurt Road, Smyrna Ga 30082 or to Presbyterian College Baseball Fund, c/o Baseball Office, 503 South Broad Street, Clinton SC 29325.