Dear Classmates and brothers,
Once more I reach out to you to inform you of the loss of another of our ’78 family, “Club 34’s”, Kevin Rawson. On Oct 4th, we first heard from Kevin’s brother-in-law, Rex Bent (’76), that he had suffered a stroke on Wednesday, 27 Sep. He was admitted to ICU at St. Francis [Park Hospital] in Memphis. We put out the word for prayers from the class and you responded quickly and with great fervor. For a while, it looked as if ’78 might pull off another miracle as Kevin had a few “ups” and improvements. Sadly, it did not last as the severity of his condition was too extensive. On Oct 13th, a week before our Reunion, Kevin passed away with family at his side. Funeral services were held on Oct 27th
Kevin is survived by his loving wife, Muriel, their three children, Veronica, Heather, and Casey, and four grandchildren, Noelle, Naomi, Fredrick, and Theo. During one of his SWO deployments “KC” met a young nursing student in England, Muriel Kotalawala. They married soon after, in 1983.
Kevin worked as an Energy Manager and Facility Sustainability Officer for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for 7 years. His passion was working with the Boy Scouts. As a second-generation Eagle Scout he served as an Eagle Board Review Chairman for Chickasaw Council and spent more than 10 years as a Scout Master for Boy Scout Troop 457. He was recognized and awarded for his leadership, but his most cherished award was the 2023 Golden Spatula for Summer Camp Adult Cook-off. He competed for seven consecutive competitions and won with his famous Chicken and Dumpling recipe.
Everyone who knew K.C. saw how generous, kind, caring, hardworking, and corky he was. He often showed these traits by cooking for his friends and family and shouting his favorite phrase “Go Navy! Beat Army!” He will be missed dearly by all lives he has touched. You can read KC’s obituary at https://www.memorialparkfuneralandcemetery.com/obituaries/Kevin-Rawson/#!/Obituary
Contributions in memory of Kevin can be made to Boy Scout Troop 457 by going to https://www.stfrancismemphis.org/scouting. Just follow the link to Boy Scout 457 website and click the PayPal link on the bottom left.
Please remember Muriel and their children in your thoughts and prayers. The family asks you also to please consider reaching out to his children on Facebook (Veronica Cava, Heather Hovey, and Casey Rawson).
Kevin had been looking forward to attending our 45th Reunion and seeing all his Club 34 brothers and friends. Sadly, that was not to be. At the Reunion Friday night’s company gathering, Club 34 took the time to remember and toast not only Kevin, but also recently passed classmate Pat “Vach” Dowler and Tom Arnold and Ralph Fellows , both non-grads. Now we can all look forward to seeing Kevin in that greatest of Reunions behind the pearly gates.
Eternal Father Strong to Save.
Semper Fidelis,
Vince Balderrama