Kenneth Bridwell

Kenneth Raymond Bridwell, age 73, of Travelers Rest, SC, passed away on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 from complications related to COVID-19. Born on September 14, 1946 in Greenville, SC to Grady Hampton Bridwell and Thelma (Hawkins) Bridwell, he was the oldest of three children.

Ken graduated from Parker High School where he was student body president and had eyes only for Miss Terry Bolick, his high school sweetheart and future bride. Ken went on to Furman University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts cum laude and served in the ROTC. He later earned a master’s in accounting from The University of Georgia and served as 2nd Lieutenant in the National Guard.

Ken and Terry Bolick Bridwell married on April 11, 1969 and shared 51 years together as well as two daughters and three grandchildren. Professionally, Ken worked as a CPA for Robert E. Marvin and Associates Landscape Company then as a CPA at Graves Electric Company. He spent the last part of his career working as the Assistant Treasurer at his alma mater, Furman University.

Ken balanced his career with loyal service to his church, Berea First Baptist, for over four decades where he served as a long-time youth ministry volunteer and Sunday school teacher. He also found great joy as a volunteer with Odyssey of the Mind, a club where students develop creative problem-solving skills and compete against other teams, at Northwest Middle School and Travelers Rest High School. Under his leadership, Ken’steams often earned the right to travel to national competitions.

Though many will remember him for his intelligence, deep convictions, and leadership skills, Ken was also loved for his sense of humor which could be characterized as goofy with a healthy dose of sarcasm and boyish mischievousness. He never seemed to be in short supply of contraband snacks and fireworks, especially when his grandchildren were visiting.

Ken was a loving husband to Terry Bolick Bridwell, devoted father to Allison Bridwell (Erik) Leaver of Silver Spring, MD and Shelley Bridwell Noble of Atlanta, GA and adoring grandfather to Reilly Allison Leaver, Logan Charles Leaver, and Matthew Joseph Noble. He is survived by his brother, Ronald “Ronnie” (Sandra) Bridwell, and his sister, Karen Bridwell (Michael) Timmerman, and was predeceased by his parents, Grady Hampton Bridwell and Thelma (Hawkins) Bridwell.

The family has tentatively scheduled a celebration of life service for April 11, 2021 which would have been Ken and Terry’s 52nd wedding anniversary. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made “In Memory of Terry and Ken Bridwell” to the Greenville Tech Foundation to support Greenville Technical College Culinary Arts Program.