| Graduation Year | Class of 1957 |
| Date of Passing | Oct 28, 2020 |
| About | U.S. Veteran Kenneth V. Herndon Jr. passed on to a different life on October 28, 2020. He was hopeful his journey would be to an upward and cooler place rather than to a downward and hotter place. He spent his last years in Franklin County at Smith Mountain Lake. He was born in Clintwood, VA on January 30th, 1939 and grew up in McClure VA. He graduated from Ervinton High school in 1957 and from Virginia Tech in 1961, with a degree in Building Construction. After two years of active duty as an armor officer in Munich Germany, he was employed as a construction engineer in 1965 by the Veterans Administration in Miami, New York City, Illinois, Los Angeles, and Hampton VA. In 1979, he moved to the Army Corps of Engineers Construction Division in Norfolk. There he had various jobs at headquarters, Langley Air Force Base, Bolling Air Force Base, Fort Monroe, Fort Eustis, Fort Story, Virginia Beach and Fort Lee. Concurrently with his civilian profession, he served in the Army Reserve in Florida and Illinois and in the National Guard units in New York and California. At various times he was an armor officer, engineer officer, infantry officer, and finance officer. He retired from the Army in January 1999. He was also president of McClure Lumber Company, a family owned building material business, from January 1992 until September 2008 when it was sold. He often was amazed how fortunate he was to have made it to retirement since he couldn't seem to hold a steady job in one location for very long! While retired, he participated in the Burnt Chimney Ruritan Club and other charitable activities. He was a diligent worker for the return of our country to the conservative principles of the country's founders and constitution. He attended Eastlake Community Church and Trinity Ecumenical Parish. He is preceded in death by his father, Kenneth Herndon, mother, Julia Herndon and his brother, Joe Herndon. He is survived by his son Dr. Gregory Herndon in Rock Hill, South Carolina and his daughter, Caroline and her husband Leonard Lepiane in San Jose, California and his brother Fred Herndon in Big Stone Gap, VA. Ken’s interment will be in Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to the following tax-exempt charities are requested: League for Animal Protection: P.O. Box 561, Fincastle, VA 24090 or Lake Christian Ministries: 13157 Moneta Road, Moneta VA, 24121. Arrangements by Flora Funeral Service and Cremation Center, Rocky Mount. |
