William Kenneth “Ken” Burnett, 84, of Hamlet, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 at Scotland Memorial Hospital in Laurinburg.
He was born May 20, 1940 in Swain County, a son of the late Jay and Ruth Green Burnett.
Ken served in the U.S. Army and worked for many years with J.P. Stevens before retiring from Fruit of the Loom Industries. He attended First United Methodist Church in Hamlet. Ken’s passion was playing golf. He played in three PGA Heritage Classic Pro-Ams in Hilton Head, South Carolina. The last year he played he won the event alongside PGA professional Leonard Thompson.
Ken also loved planting and tending to his backyard gardens, especially his watermelons. Pat and Ken enjoyed their numerous beach trips with friends though the years. More recently, as his health declined, visitors could always find him in his favorite recliner watching his cowboy movies.
A memorial service will be held at noon, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, at First United Methodist Church in Hamlet with the Rev. Dan Blair officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service
Surviving, his wife of 35 years, Pat Howie Burnett of Hamlet; daughters, Brenda Brent (Colin) of Arizona and Audrey Stevenson (Drew) of Cary; stepchildren, Jim Haley (Ricki) of Rockingham and Mary Stewart Haley of Rockingham; a sister, Betty Shuler (LD) of Bryson City: grandchildren, Will Stevenson, Elinor Stevenson, Josh Haley (Kayla), Olivia Harrell (JP), Jackson Haley, Jeffrey Haley and Jared Haley; great-granddaughter, Karsyn Claire Haley.
Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 300 Charlotte St., Hamlet, NC 28345.
Online condolences may be made at watson-kingfuneralhome.com. Watson-King Funeral Home in Hamlet is serving the Burnett family.
