Ken DeCesare

Kenneth Maury DeCesare, 79, died peacefully Friday, May 21, 2021, following a short illness at Tryon Estates in Columbus, North Carolina.

Born July 4, 1941, in Brooklyn, New York, he was the oldest child of Maury Joseph DeCesare and Loretta Augusta Gilley. He graduated from H. Frank Carey High School, in Franklin Square, New York, in 1958 and Pace University, in New York City in 1962. Ken was a United States Army Reserve veteran.

Ken spent his career in marketing with a long tenure at the J. Walter Thompson Agency working on campaigns for Goodyear, Norfolk Southern and Budweiser at the height of advertising glory in the 1980s. His time in the industry moved him and his young family up and down the east coast.

After settling in Georgia for quite some time, he retired in 2003. It was then that he took on the role of Mr. Mom as he and his second family moved to Fort Myers, Florida, and eventually back to Georgia. In December  of 2018, he settled in his final home at Tryon Estates in Columbus.

Ken was known for his friendly, outgoing personality. He never met a stranger, often engaging in friendly conversation with all those he met. He enjoyed social gatherings with friends and neighbors.

Ken loved to cook and was often found scouring the meat counter for deep discounts, an activity for which his family lovingly teased him. His Italian heritage shone through in his delicious lasagna recipe, which was passed on to his son. Although his happy place was the family’s cabin in Blue Ridge, he enjoyed traveling and had taken recent trips to Nova Scotia, Canada, Alaska, and Maine. He also enjoyed sports and could often be found watching Clemson or Auburn football (his daughters’ alma maters) Saturday afternoons. He enjoyed golfing and made a hole-in-one in 1971 at the Plandome Country Club golf course during the Ladies Home Journal Invitational, a feat only dreamed about by most golfers.

He is survived by his wife, Lorraine Sandra Watkins DeCesare; their son, Vanya Adam DeCesare; his daughters from his previous marriage and sons-in-law, Jill DeCesare Geary and Curtis and Ann DeCesare Carr and Jon; grandchildren, Kaitlin (Taylor), Caroline, Logan and Cooper; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. He was preceded in death by both of his parents; and his twin siblings, Loretta and Maury.

Ken has been interred at the Columbarium at Tryon Estates. A memorial service was held at Tryon Estates in Columbus, May 28 at 2:30 p.m.

A celebration of life will be held July 4 at the beloved cabin in Blue Ridge, from 2 to 4 pm. All friends and family are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations in Ken’s name to the Acts Legacy Foundation, Tyron Estates Samaritan Fund at https://www.actsretirement.org/acts-benevolence/acts-legacy-foundation, Saint Jude’s Research Hospital, Shriner’s Hospital for Children or the charity of your choice.