Kenneth Bonifay Obituary

Kenneth (Ken) Brannon Bonifay, Sr.

May 19, 1946 -

October 15, 2024

Kenneth (Ken) Brannon Bonifay, Sr. of Greensboro, GA passed away on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at the age of 78 at Abbey Hospice in Social Circle, GA. Ken was born in Montgomery, AL on May 19,1946, to the late Robert Brannon Bonifay and Catherine Mashburn Bonifay. Ken graduated from Lanier High School in Macon, GA and received a Bachelor of Science from Georgia Tech in Industrial Engineering. He also attended the Emory Business School Management Development Program. He married Lyda Dickinson on December 17,1967, in Calhoun, GA.

Ken starred in football, basketball, and baseball at Lanier High School where he was All-State in all three sports. At Georgia Tech he was a two-sport varsity athlete in baseball and football. In 2011, Ken was inducted into the Macon Sports Hall of Fame.

For 37 years, Ken worked at Eastman Chemical Company in Kingsport, TN, ending as Vice President of International Human Resources. Ken was a member of the First Broad Street United Methodist Church serving on the Staff Parish Committee. He was a member of the Greater Kingsport Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Kingsport and The Society for Resource Management. He served on the Board of Directors for Mountain States Health Alliance Hospital, Eastman Credit Union and Blue Ridge Conference on Leadership receiving the Robert E. Eskew Legacy Award in 2016. He was President of the Kingsport Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow. After retiring, Ken moved to Greensboro, GA where he lived for 17 years. He was a member of the First Methodist Church Greensboro Lake Oconee.

Ken's hobbies revolved around fitness and community service. He ran over ten marathons and was an avid golfer. An active Georgia Tech alumnus, Ken gave back both financially and with personal involvement. He created the Bonifay Baseball Fund Endowment Scholarship for deserving high school baseball players.

Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Lyda Bonifay of Greensboro, GA; daughter, Elizabeth Bonifay (Jon) McRee of Cornelius, NC; son, Kenneth Brannon (Lori) Bonifay, Jr. of Suwanee, GA; brothers, Robert Brannon (Lynn) Bonifay, Jr. of Sandersville, GA and Cameron Hubert (Leigh) Bonifay of Greensboro, GA; grandchildren Lily Grace McRee, Sophie Elizabeth McRee, Bennett Taylor McRee, Taylor Catherine Bonifay, Kenneth Brannon Bonifay, III, and Emma Elizabeth Bonifay; other relatives and many friends.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, November 16 at 11:00am at First Methodist Church Greensboro Lake Oconee, South Campus, 4741 Carey Station Road, Greensboro, GA 30642 with Rev. Hugh Hendrickson, Rev. Chris Laskey and Rev. Richard Chewning officiating. Visitation will be held from 10:00-11:00am prior to the service in the Narthex and a reception will be held in the social hall after the service. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to First Methodist Church Greensboro Lake Oconee, 202 W. Broad Street, Greensboro, GA 30642, Georgia Tech Alexander Tharpe- Baseball Fund, Georgia Tech Athletic Association, 150 Bobby Dodd Way, N.W. Atlanta 30332, or Abbey Hospice, 215 Azalea Drive, Social Circle, GA 30025. Arrangements will be made by McCommons Funeral Home, 109 W. Broad St., Greensboro, GA 30642, (706) 453-2626. Visit mccommonsfuneralhome.com to sign the online guest register.