Kenneth Ray McWhorter

Kenneth Ray McWhorter, 84, of Abilene, passed away Wednesday, August 15, 2018 in Abilene. Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Monday, August 20th at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road, Abilene. Memorial service will be 11:30 A.M. Tuesday, August 21, 2018 at The Hamil Family Funeral Home.

Kenneth was born in Haskell County to Ray and Dora Brown McWhorter on September 16, 1933.  He went to Rochester Schools and graduated in 1950.  He attended the University of Texas in Austin, for two years, focusing on mechanical engineering.  He married Janell Wooten in June of 1981 in Sweetwater.  Kenneth was appointed postmaster of Rochester and performed those duties until he decided he preferred the Rochester rural carrier route, which would enable him to have time to farm.  After several years of carrying the mail for the Rochester community, he was transferred to Sweetwater where he carried the mail for that community for more than three decades, retiring in 1996.  It was in Sweetwater that he met his beloved wife, Janell. 

He served our country in the Air Force for four years, most of the time as an instructor, teaching others how to make repairs on jet engines.  He loved planes and eventually earned his license to fly, a highlight for Kenneth.

Kenneth was blessed with a curious mind and a creative spirit, having many diverse hobbies and interests in his lifetime.  Among these were movies, reading, writing fiction, photography, fixing things (he had a gift!), gardening, learning Spanish. Always at the top of the list was his interest in other people, their stories, their interests, their accomplishments.  Kenneth never met a stranger and never lacked for conversational material.

A member of the Wylie Baptist Church, Kenneth is preceded in death by his parents, brother Tony McWhorter, infant twin boys, son Kenneth Ray McWhorter, Jr. and step-daughter, Becky Haviken.  Kenneth is survived his wife, Janell McWhorter, son Thomas McWhorter, sister-in-law Marietta McWhorter, sister Patrician Ann and Rogers Nanny, sister Rita Beth Graham and John Cavanagh, step son-in-law Brett Haviken, step-son David Lee Rodawalt, step-daughter Shauna & Dr. Gary Madden, godchild Lori Camp, nine grandchildren, eight grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews, all who loved “Uncle Kenneth.”