Ken Nolen Obituary
Ken earned his bachelor’s and master’s in education and impacted the lives of thousands of high school students across the Upstate during his 41 years of teaching math, sponsoring classes, and coaching basketball baseball, and math teams at Southside Christian, Southside High, and Daniel High schools. Ken enjoyed music throughout his life. He played the clarinet, led his high school band as drum major, served in several churches as choir director, and found great solace and comfort through music during his last few years of life. He also loved prime numbers, space, the UNC Tarheels, White Sox and Braves baseball, biographies, chess, Risk, and picking blueberries in the backyard.
In every arena of life, he was gentle and consistent, always looking for ways to serve others. His life was built upon and sustained by his unwavering faith in God. Even during the last 5 ½ years of life as he battled Lewy Body dementia, he was gracious and accepting, concerned for how his needs were burdening others.
Ken is survived by the delight of his life, his wife of 47 years, and his full-time caregiver, Brenda Kirks Nolen; children Carol (Mark) Johnson, James (Parma), and Mark; grandson, Jeremiah; and sisters Rose Mary Nolen and Sue (Tommy) Cross.
A service of remembrance will be held at 2:30 on Friday, March 22 at Westville Funerals at 6010 White Horse Road in Greenville SC 29611. Burial will follow at Graceland East Memorial Park on Woodruff Road. Visitation will be before the service at 1:00 PM.
A very special thanks to those who cared for Ken during this journey with dementia - close friend, Marshall Thompson; his caregiver, Lavonda with Abundance Home Care; Rainey Hospice House in Anderson during his last week and especially our children who stayed by our side every step of the way. In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to Miracle Hill Ministries where Ken and Brenda were foster parents for a while. (https://miraclehill.org/give/)
There will be a LiveStream link added for folks who cannot make the services.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
6010 White Horse Road, Greenville, SC 29611
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