Kenneth W. Corn

Kenneth W. "Pop" Corn, 87, of Arden passed away peacefully Sunday, April 26, 2009, at the John F. Keever Jr. Solace Center in Asheville. He was a native and life long resident of Buncombe County, the son of Wiley O. Corn and Maggie L. Corn and husband of the late Betty Howell Corn, who died in 1998. Pop was a member of the "Greatest Generation" serving his country in the United States Army during World War II and serving his community as a volunteer firefighter ultimately achieving the rank of Fire Chief. Before enlisting, Pop worked as a welder in the shipping yards in Norfolk, Virginia where he worked on the U.S.S. Yorktown and its sister ship the U.S.S. Essex. Recognizing the need to serve his country during wartime, Pop enlisted in the U.S. Army and was sent to North Africa. During the fighting in Africa, he was wounded by shrapnel and returned to the States to heal. The Army then assigned Pop to the 95th Gas Treatment Battalion headed for the European theater. In August of 1944, Pop arrived with the battalion at Utah Beach and participated in several battles including the Heurtgen Forest Campaign and the Battle of the Bulge. The U.S. Army awarded Pop's battalion the Meritorious Unit Commendation for superior performance of exceptionally difficult tasks. Pop's devotion to serving others didn't end with the end of the war. He was one of the original volunteers to form the Skyland Volunteer Fire Department in Arden. He served as a volunteer firefighter for twenty-five years and served as Fire Chief from 1973 until 1975. Pop also worked at the Dupont plant in Brevard N.C. for twenty-eight years retiring in 1983. He is survived by a daughter, Barbara C. Tharp of Arden; three sons, Michael R. Corn and his wife, Mary Louise, of Fletcher, Russell A. Corn and his wife, Connie, of Arden and Gary L. Corn and his wife, Gail, of Fletcher; his sister, Mary Frances Briggs of Arden and his brother, Clarence Corn and his wife, Virginia, of Arden. Also surviving are seven grandchildren, John R. Corn, Kenneth C. Corn, Jeffrey S. Tharp, Jennifer M. Tharp, Michael Langford Tharp, Dallas L. Guthrie and Dakota E. Guthrie and five great grandchildren. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday in the chapel of Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian conducted by the Rev. Ray Hipps. Interment will follow in Roberts Memorial Park with Firefighter Honors provided by the Buncombe County Firefighters Honor Guard. Serving as pallbearers will be his grandsons. The family will receive friends from 7 until 8:30 pm Wednesday at the funeral home on Long Shoals Road. In memory of his love for service to the community and in lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the John F. Keever Hospice Solace Center, P.O. Box 25338, Asheville, NC 28813.