Kennieth Sawyer Etheridge

Kennieth Sawyer Etheridge, 88, died Friday May 31, 2024.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, June 3, 2024 at the First Baptist Church in Laurinburg, officiated by Rev. Jeanne Baucom, Rev. Drag Kimrey, and Andy Etheridge.  The family will receive friends in the fellowship hall after the service.  Burial will be private.

He was born January 3, 1936 in Norfolk, VA to the late Kennieth Sawyer Etheridge and Caroline Smith Etheridge.

Leaving behind his devoted wife of 65 years, Rebecca “Beckie” Etheridge of the home, he is survived by his four children, Ken Etheridge of Ponte Vedra FL, Andy Etheridge (Evelyn) of Coral Springs, FL, Jeff Etheridge (Lisa) of Pinehurst, NC and Elizabeth Etheridge McIntyre (Carl) of Laurinburg, NC; and seven grandchildren.  He is preceded in death by his sister, Sara Gene Norman and daughter-in-law, Karen Kepley Etheridge.

In 1954 he enrolled in Wake Forest College (University) and earned a BS degree in 1958 and graduated with honors, finishing first in his law class in 1960.  After a year of clerkship of NC Supreme Court, he entered private practice in Laurinburg.  He retired in 1995.

A member of the First Baptist Church, Laurinburg, he served as a church moderator, a member and chairman of the Board of Deacons, Chairman of the Church Leadership Advisor Council, Pulpit Committee and a Sunday school teacher of the Men’s Bible Class for more than 20 years.  Above all he kept his faith first.

Kennieth's professional journey was marked by an unwavering commitment to the legal system and its betterment. His career was distinguished by his long-standing involvement with the North Carolina State Board, where he notably chaired the Sixteenth Judicial District Bar Candidate Committee for a decade. His leadership extended to roles as Member and Past President of both the Scotland County Bar and the Sixteenth Judicial District Bar. He was also a dedicated member of the Board of Governors from 1978 to 1981, and he served on the North Carolina Courts Commission between 1984 and 1986. His passion for law saw him become a Charter Member of the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys and an active participant in the American Bar Association. He earned the status of Member Emeritus in the American Board of Trial Advocates, as well as memberships in the International Association of Defense Counsel, the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, and the American College of Trial Lawyers. Kennieth's served on the Scotland County Board of Education from 1976 to 1988, including a term as Chairman from 1980 to 1988. His community involvement was multifaceted, as he was a Past President of the Laurinburg Jaycees, Past Vice President of the North Carolina Jaycees, and State Legal Counsel for the same. A Paul Harris Fellow, Kennieth also held the post of Past President at the Laurinburg Rotary Club. Kennieth's dedication to regional growth was evident through his roles as a Member and Past Vice President of the Laurinburg/Scotland County Area Chamber of Commerce, Past President of the Scotland County Young Democrats, and Trustee of the Scotland Memorial Hospital Foundation. He was a past member of the Wake Forest University School of Law Alumni Executive Committee and the Caldwell Scholarship Committee, as well as an advisor to the President of Campbell University and a member of its Board of Trustees. His commitment to education was further demonstrated when he represented Campbell University and its President, Dr. Norman Adrian Wiggins, at the inauguration of John Deegan, Jr., as the seventh president of St. Andrews Presbyterian College in 2003. Kennieth's contributions were recognized with numerous accolades, including the Distinguished Service Award as the City of Laurinburg's Young Man of the Year in 1964, the Presidential Medallion Award from Campbell University, and the Order of Piper from Scottish Food Systems, honoring his more than 25 years of legal service to the multi-state firm.

Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church, PO Box 883, Laurinburg, NC 28353, or Scotland Regional Hospice, PO Box 1033, Laurinburg, NC 28353 or a charity of one’s choice.

Bumgarner Family Funeral Service and Crematorium is assisting the family.

Online condolences can be made at www.bumgarnerfunerals.com.

First Baptist Church
PO Box 883, Laurinburg NC 28353

Scotland Regional Hospice
P.O. Box 1033, Laurinburg NC 28353
Web: https://www.scotlandhealth.org/scotland-regional-hospice/donate