Kenneth J. Horton

Kenneth Johnson Horton, 95, of Asheville, passed away on Friday, March 20, 2009, at Aston Park Health Care Center. Mr. Horton was the son of the late Richard Whittington and Nellie Serena McIntosh Horton, of Yancey Co. He was also preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Mary L. Horton; and siblings, Evelyn Roberts, Burnie Porter Horton, Jack McClinton Horton, and Eva Clark Herron. Mr. Horton moved to Asheville with his family in 1922. He was a plant supervisor at American Enka, where he was an employee for 42 years, and the first recipient of the Philip B. Stull award for Innovative Ideas. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, and was also a member of the Asheville Wesleyan Church. Mr. Horton is survived by his daughter, Patsy H. Williams, and son, Kenny Horton, both of Asheville; grandchildren, Timothy Scott Ownbey, Steven Ownbey, Roy Allen Williams, all of Asheville, and Alison Keely Horton and Sarah Megan Horton, both of Chapel Hill, NC; great-grandchildren, Thomas, Alex, Kaitlyn, and Marcie Ownbey, Mitchell Horton, and Hannah Williams; and sister, Mabel Comitz, of Garden City, Long Island, NY. A graveside service for Mr. Horton will be at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday at Green Hills Cemetery with the Rev. Archie Fulkerson, of the Asheville Wesleyan Church, officiating. Mr. Horton's grandchildren will serve as pallbearers. His family will receive friends from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Monday at Groce Funeral Home on Patton Ave. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to CarePartners Hospice, P.O. Box 25338, Asheville, NC 28813.