Kenneth Leroy Clemons

Kenneth Leroy Clemons 1925-2018 Ken passed peacefully in the early morning hours of September 9th, 7 weeks shy of his 93rd birthday and 3 weeks short of his 70th wedding anniversary. As he wished, he was surrounded by family in his final days. He was predeceased by his daughter Julie, granddaughter Amy, brothers: Billy and Hughy and his loyal companion, his beloved golden retriever, Wesley. He is survived by his wife Hilda, the love of his life, his brother Ormond, his daughter Jody, his son Jeff (Teresa), his grandsons: Zachary Lyon and Jack Clemons and many more loving relatives and caring friends, including niece Linda, who was like a daughter to him. Kenneth was born in Florida. His father’s job moved his family to Alexandria when he was in grade school. From there the family settled in Annandale. He traveled back to Florida during the summers and worked on a family farm. There, his love of horses grew and he convinced his family to let him have a horse in Annandale. Ken always considered himself a cowboy and a proud southerner. He attended (the original) Fairfax High School where he fell in love with a cheerleader, his beloved Hilda. As men did in “The Greatest Generation”, he lied about his age and at 17 years old, he joined the Navy, serving his country in the South Pacific during WW II. After the War, he returned to Virginia and started a home building business with his brothers. In fact, there is still a small cul-de-sac in Annandale called Clemons Court that showcases some of their handiwork. As well as homes designed and built peppered around Fairfax County. Ken and Hilda were married in 1948 and began their life together and their family. They moved to Fairfax where he attended Fairfax Methodist Church for the next 60+ years, serving in many capacities over the years. Hilda’s widowed mother needed a place to live. Without hesitation, he invited her to share his home and she lived the rest of her life with them. He described “Mrs. Towsey” as the “finest woman you’ve ever known”. When he built the house on Village Drive, Mrs. Towsey’s room was part of the plan from day one. The majority of his career was as a civil servant, but still related to his construction talent. He was always proud of his journey up the ladder, starting out as a carpenter in the basement of the Pentagon. Though his work ethic, honesty and competency, he rose to become the number two person in charge of the facility. Describing the Pentagon as merely a “facility” seems like quite an understatement, but that’s the facility he was in charge of and he was very proud of it. Even while climbing the career ladder, he continued to build houses in and around Fairfax as his second job. As an adult, Ken returned to a passion from his youth – flying. He obtained his private pilot’s license and spent many a beautiful day admiring the earth below. These adventures in the air added to his extensive repertoire of stories. If you had the time to spend, Ken’s natural southern storytelling talent and humor could entertain for hours. When he wasn’t at work, he was usually doing something for someone else. If you were lucky enough to be his friend, he has done something for you. Maybe he bought you lunch or loaned you his car. Maybe he helped you with a repair or a small project. Or maybe he even invited you to move into his home or built you a garage or an addition on your house. Big or small, he was always doing something for someone else. Kenneth’s deep faith was obvious in the way his lived his life. He touched so many lives and he leaves those he touched rich in memories and lessons on how life should be lived. He will be missed. A service will be held at Fairfax United Methodist Church, 10300 Stratford Avenue, Fairfax, Virginia 22030, on September 21 at 11:30 AM, followed by a reception at the church. Burial will be at National Memorial Park in Falls Church afterward. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Muscular Dystrophy Association or to SmileTrain, his favorite charities.