Kenneth L. Cleveland

Mr. Kenneth L. Cleveland passed away at his home, March 18, 2012. Born in Demorest, Georgia, on May 25th, 1923, Mr. Cleveland lived the majority of his life in the Clarkesville area. He was the son of the late Charlton L. and Lelia Palmer Cleveland. He was also preceded in death by brothers Edward and Donald and sister Katherine Cleveland.

Funeral services will be held at 2:30 PM on Tuesday, March 20, 2012, From the Hillside Memorial Chapel with burial following at Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Tuesday prior to the service from 1:00 PM until 2:30 PM.

Ken married Lou Ella Trotter of Clarkesville on June 14th, 1941 and celebrated 70 years of loving marriage last year. Ken and Lou Ella reared six children together. Mr. Cleveland served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

Mr. Cleveland worked at Scovill Fasteners, Inc. and retired after 33 years of service as Vice President of Manufacturing and the Manager of the Clarkesville facility. His contributions to the community including serving several terms as Mayor and City Councilman of Clarkesville and as a member of the Hospital Authority of Habersham County. Mr. Cleveland enjoyed a lifelong interest in learning and had a wide range of interests, including a love of nature, protecting and enhancing plant and animal wildlife, especially in the Blue Ridge Mountains. He also enjoyed growing and propagating wildflowers around his home in Clarkesville and sharing rate and unusual plants with anyone with similar interests. He also studied geology, especially rocks and minerals, and collected mineral and gem specimens from around the world. Mr. Cleveland was a member of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Clarkesville.

Mr. Cleveland is survived by his lifelong partner of 70 years, Lou Ella Trotter Cleveland; his daughter Mary; and his sons Mike, David, Tommy, Chris, and Bill and his 11 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren, Grandsons will serve as pallbearers.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Compassionate Hospice Foundation, 1435 Haw Creek Circle, Suite 402, Cumming, GA 30041 or to Bethlehem Baptist Church Student Ministry, 624 Highway 197 North, Clarkesville, GA 30523.

Those wishing may send condolences at www.hillsidememorialchapel.com.

Funeral arrangements by Hillside Memorial Chapel, Clarkesville. 706-754-6256.