Dr. Kenneth Lee Cloninger Jr.

Ken was born February 9, 1935, in Hickory, North Carolina to the late Kenneth Lee Cloninger M.D. and Ruby Lee Anderson Cloninger.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 41 years, Susan Cloninger. He is also survived by his children Tracey Steele Cloninger, Kristen Cloninger Lancaster (Bill), Dana Cloninger Herndon, and Shannon Midkiff Knight (Chris). He was proud “Pop” to his grandchildren Will, John and Teddy Lancaster, Addy and Craig Herndon, and Evie and Lucy Knight. He is also survived by his brother Tim (Barbara) Cloninger.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Ruby Lee Cloninger.

Ken was a graduate of Davidson College and the University of Maryland School of Medicine. While serving in the US Air Force, he was on staff at Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He continued his surgical training while in residency in Miami, Florida. He later returned to his beloved state of North Carolina. It was in Greensboro where he joined Guilford Neurosurgical Associates. He practiced medicine for many years and served as Chief of Neurosurgery at Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital, 1980-1990. He cared for his patients with compassion and dedication. When he retired from his practice until 1996, he assisted in many neurosurgery cases. Into his late seventies, Ken continued to stay busy while serving as a medical expert for numerous legal cases.

With a sharp mind, his curiosity and passion for learning was endless. It was a rare sight to see Ken without a book about math, physics, nuclear fusion, or other riveting topics by his side. He would take copious notes, highlight, and circle important information…just in case. That curiosity for exploration included learning how to fly. Together with Susan, they earned their pilot’s licenses and eventually their instrument ratings, taking many daily and overnight excursions in their prized Piper Cherokee. In retirement, Ken also enjoyed travelling and gardening. Every year he would cultivate a plot of land and grow with great pride his tomatoes and a wide variety of other vegetables.

Ken’s wit was quick, and no one could tell a story better than he. Since all his stories were fish stories, they became more entertaining every time they were retold, and Ken would revel in the delight of his audience. He relished regaling such tales with the doctors and nurses in the hospital-really anyone who would provide an audience. He had the timing of a comedian, making those tales simultaneously suspenseful and hilarious. The exclamation mark at the end of each story was that booming and infectious laugh. You could not hear that wonderful laugh without cracking a smile.

A celebration of life will be held Saturday, May 18 at 2:00pm in the sanctuary at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church located at 607 N Greene St, Greensboro, NC. A reception following the service will be held on the Terrace at Holy Trinity.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations may be made to Tunnel to Towers or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.