Kenneth Taft

Graveside services for Kenneth Richard Taft, 88, of Pittsburg will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at Leesburg Cemetery. The Rev. Tommy Earl Burton, the pastor who introduced him to the UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) Sager Brown Depot, will officiate. After Mr. Taft’s first mission trip to Sager-Brown, he was hooked. He made 10 trips to Baldwin, La. lending a hand to help pack and ship relief-supply kits around the world.
Mr. Taft was born March 1, 1932 in Pittsburg to Joseph Riley and Zula May Marshall Taft.  He died July 24, 2020.
A lifelong Camp County resident, Mr. Taft was a Pittsburg High School graduate. He served four years in the U.S. Navy. He was a member of Reeves Chapel United Methodist Church where he served as church treasurer for many years.
He married Will Anne Hudnall on March 22, 1957. Once he retired from Arkla Gas, they spent many hours traveling and finding new and interesting places to eat. Mr. Taft was well known for his gardening skills and growing the hottest jalapenos in Camp County.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Louise Beggs; and two brothers, Calvin Taft and Lloyd Taft.
Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Will Anne Taft; two daughters and a son-in-law, Susan Taft and Debbie and Harold Brown, all of Pittsburg. He is also survived by two grandchildren, Daniel Brown and his wife, LeaAnn, of Pittsburg and Julie Witt, and her husband, Josh, of Fairfax, Va.; and five great-grandchildren, Skyler Brown, Colin Brown, Alexis Witt, Audrey Brown and Andrew Richard Witt, who was named in his honor.
Visitation will be held from 9:30 until the time of the service Monday morning.