Dr. Kenneth Cleveland Shuler Sr.

 

Dr. Kenneth Cleveland Shuler, 78 of Holly Hill, South Carolina, formally of Mt. Pleasant husband of Linda Platt Shuler, passed away on Friday, August 11, 2023.

Ken Shuler was born on October 10, 1944, to the late Marguerite Ouzts Shuler and Abram Manning Shuler, Sr where he was raised on his beloved family farm in the Providence community. He was always a dreamer and gentleman, guiding him throughout his life.

With his older brother already farming at home, Ken decided to become the next best thing, a veterinarian. He didn’t enjoy school, but he could envision his future and knew what he had to do. He attended Clemson University in the College of Agriculture from 1962-1964 where he packed 4 years-worth of work into 2 years and then matriculated on to the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine where he received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1968. Upon graduation, he moved to Mt Pleasant, SC to practice with his uncle, the late J.O. Shuler. With two Dr. Shulers, Ken quickly became known as Dr K.C. Shuler. K.C. Shuler was active in the veterinary community. He was president of his local chapter and then of the state-wide SC Association of Veterinarians. He helped found and establish the first local 24-hour veterinary emergency hospital in the Charleston area. Always dreaming he went on to expand the original practice in 1992 by building Shuler Veterinary Clinic. Having two practices allowed both of his sons and their wives to join him as veterinarians in the early 2000s.

While building his professional life, he was also planning his personal life. Ken Shuler, the dreamer, and gentleman, met, courted, and married his wife, Linda P Shuler, in 5 months. He knew what he wanted and could see their future immediately. They were married for 54 years. After finding the perfect girl, Ken then found the perfect piece of property on the harbor in Mt Pleasant and even though it was way over their heads as a newly married young couple, he made it happen. They built a home and enjoyed the sunsets over Charleston harbor for years. He was active in the Mt Pleasant community serving on the Mt Pleasant School Board, as a member of his local Rotary Club, and as a member of Hibben United Methodist Church. Always a competitor, Ken enjoyed coaching Little League baseball for many years, including when his boys played, as well as playing on his own adult softball teams. He also played tennis with his wife and golf with his sons. An avid Braves baseball fan he followed them nightly, but his true passion was Clemson Football. Go Tigers!

Providence community was never far from his mind. Many weekends were spent at the farm where he enjoyed hunting deer and helping with the cow herd. He continued to manage the cows throughout his life with a special love for the black baldie calves (those black calves with goggles of white around their eyes). Shuler Peach Company was another dream that gave him a connection between his Mt Pleasant and Providence lives. He turned the family’s former commercial peach-packing business into a direct-to-store endeavor. This placed Shuler peaches in most Piggly Wiggly stores in the Lowcountry and he brought them to local farmers markets in Mt Pleasant and Summerville as well.

After vacationing in the North Carolina mountains, they continued to call to him. He had a vision of the house he wanted and hunted high and low for the perfect view with close proximity to Clemson. He found it. He especially loved a fire in the fireplace, a beautiful sunset, and good times on the porch with friends and family. Ken and Linda have enjoyed their friends and the community in Sapphire, NC for almost 20 years.

We remember him as: always a dreamer, always a gentleman, and always smiling.

Ken is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Abram Manning Shuler Jr.

Ken is survived by his wife; sons, Drs. Kenneth and Heather Shuler and their children Savannah (20) and Riley (17) and Drs. Kevin and Laura Shuler and their children Abram (17) and Alden (13).

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to:

Clemson University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) Annual Fund

Checks should be made to the

Clemson University Foundation

PO BOX 1889

Clemson, SC 29633

Memo line: CVM Annual Fund in memory of Dr Ken Shuler

Or

Providence UMC

C/O Frankie Dantzler

2988 Bass Drive

Santee, SC 29142

The family will receive friends Saturday, August 19 from 2-3PM at Avinger Funeral Home.  A Celebration of Life will follow in the Chapel at 3PM.

The family wishes to honor Ken’s request to celebrate his life by wearing Clemson colors or casual summer attire during this warm season. No suits or ties are required.

Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted online at avingerfh.com/.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Avinger Funeral Home, 2274 Eutaw Rd, Holly Hill, SC 29059, (803)496-3434.