Kenneth Charles Mayer Sr.

Kenneth Charles Mayer, Sr. passed away on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 at the age of 91 in his home in Raleigh. Known to his friends and family as Casey, he was born October 2, 1928 in Cleveland, Ohio to his late parents Charles L. and Louise Esper Mayer. He was the youngest of three. Casey lived a remarkable life. His childhood was spent in both Cleveland and Shelby, Ohio. In 1943 at the age of 15 he left home to work on the ore boats that traveled the Great Lakes. This led him to join the US Merchant Marines in 1944 and for the next two years—during World War II—he traveled the world with stops in China, Marseille and other ports of call. In 1946, Casey joined the United States Marine Corps, ultimately retiring from the Corps in 1966. His postings included: China in the years immediately after World War II, Korea during the Korean War, Japan twice, Memphis and Miami. Four times he was stationed at Cherry Point, NC, including his last posting from 1962-66. Casey’s Marine Corps career was as an aircraft structures mechanic. He became a master craftsman in metalworking, and these skills would serve him well in his second career. Casey retired from the Marines in 1966 at the age of 37 with the rank of Gunnery Sargent.

During his Marine Corps career, Casey met Hazel Harris from Johnston County, NC, one of eleven children. After her undergraduate and graduate college career, Hazel became a teacher. They married in 1956 in Cherry Point. In 1960, their son—Kenneth Charles Mayer, Jr.—was born at Cherry Point. The family settled in Newport, NC, with Hazel teaching at Havelock (NC) Junior High, while Casey continued his Marine Corps career. Hazel and Casey enjoyed square dancing, Friday night dinners with their friends, reunions with her large family, camping trips with the family travel trailer, and later, weekends at their place on Lake Gaston.

Beginning in 1963, Casey returned to school, earning his high school diploma in 1964 through night school, while still serving full time in the Marines. Upon retirement from the Marines, he began his college education at East Carolina University—through the GI Bill—at the age of 37. He earned his BS in 1968 and his MA in 1969--both from ECU. While completing his graduate work, he began his second career, teaching, at ECU. After graduation, Casey and his family moved to Bowling Green, Kentucky where he taught at Western Kentucky University from 1970-1972. While at WKU, the Hilltoppers went to the NCAA Final Four—with the Mayer family attending all home games. In 1972 the family returned to North Carolina, this time to Raleigh, where Casey taught at NC State University from 1972-1975, and did consulting work developing curricula for machine shop and other vocational education courses. While Casey was at NC State, the David Thompson era arrived, and the Wolfpack won the NCAA Championship in 1974.

From 1975-1977 Casey taught vocational education in the Wake County School System. In 1977, he accepted an offer to return to East Carolina as an Assistant Professor, continuing to teach at ECU through 1984. The Mayer family continued to live in Raleigh as Hazel was teaching at West Millbrook Middle School. Casey would spend the week in Greenville teaching (living in the family travel trailer), and weekends at home in Raleigh with his family. In 1984, he took a position supervising training for the Physical Plant at NC State University. His son--Kenneth, Jr.--graduated from the School (now College) of Design at NC State with a degree in architecture in 1983. During Casey’s second tenure at NC State, the Wolfpack won the 1983 NCAA Championship. Great basketball seemed to follow Casey everywhere!

Upon his retirement from NC State in 1991, and with Hazel having retired from the Wake County School System, Casey and Hazel had planned to travel extensively in their motor home. However, Hazel tragically died in an automobile accident in 1991. A few years later, having rekindled his interest in square dancing, Casey met Dennise Moore—a widow and a square dancer—and the two began dating. They married in 1998 and ultimately settled in Raleigh. Casey and Dennise enjoyed square dancing, travel with their square dancing group and friends, trips to the beach, and card games—particularly Hand and Foot which they played regularly. Dennise brought her two daughters, Cristin and Denise (“Niser”), into the family. Casey’s second wife Dennise passed away in 2014.

Casey was a kind and gentle man, a loyal friend, a loving and supportive father, and a loving and patient husband, grandfather and uncle. He read the newspaper cover to cover every day, often cutting out articles to send to family members. Shark Tank, Lawrence Welk and Rachel Maddow were his television staples. Casey was passionate about wood and metal working. In his first shop—a small shed in Newport—he made “Smokey Bear”—a hand fabricated climbing structure he designed and built for his son. The garage of his first home in Raleigh allowed him to increase his collection of tools; but it was his final home in Raleigh—which had a full basement—that allowed him to have the fully equipped shop he had always dreamed of. The shop was where he taught grandchildren how to use tools, and where he made things to give as gifts to family and friends.

During his later years, Casey was blessed with a group of wonderful caregivers: Oumie Jallow Diop, Haddy Nyan, Florence Matoke, Elizabeth Njoroge, Catherine Njoroge, and Joyce Garner among others. They allowed him to fulfill his desire to live out his life in his home, surrounded by people who loved and cared for him.

Casey is survived by his son, Kenneth Charles Mayer, Jr., and his wife Beth Brannan Mayer; two stepdaughters, Cristin Brand and her husband Howard, and Denise Wenzel, and her husband Jason; six grandchildren, Margaret and Charles Mayer, Jack and Katie Brand, and Marley and Yates Wenzel. He is also survived by his sister, Mary Lou Greenwald of Grafton, Ohio. Casey was preceded in death by his first wife, Hazel, his second wife Dennise, his parents Charles L. and Louise Esper Mayer, and his brother, Norman E. Mayer.

A celebration of Casey’s remarkable life will be held later. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Casey’s memory to: The Marine Corps Air Transport Association Memorial Scholarship Fund; 7324 Brady Oaks Dr., Ft. Worth, Texas 76135.