Kenneth Alvin Gilley

Kenneth Alvin Gilley, 72, of Ridgeway passed away surrounded by his loved ones on October 2, 2024. Ken was born to the late Alvin and Sylvia Gilley of Grassy Creek on June 1, 1952. He is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Charlotte Knight Gilley, his daughter Kimberly Gilley and nephew Robert Knight (Scotty), who he loved like a son. He is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews, in-laws, and cousins. He loved being “Dodo” to his great niece Ava and great nephews Kaden and Tal. Ken was preceded in death by a daughter, Jessica Lynn Gilley, his parents, and sister Patricia Cochran.Ken was an avid sports fan and could always be found cheering on his beloved New York Yankees and Washington Commanders, as well as fiercely booing the Boston Red Sox and the Dallas Cowboys. He previously owned and operated KC’s Collectibles, a sports card and memorabilia store in Ridgeway, and retired from Patrick Henry Community College. He enjoyed his retirement by watching as many baseball games as possible, traveling with Charlotte, and spending time visiting family, friends and neighbors on the porch. One of his proudest life accomplishments was coaching youth baseball and softball for many years and being known as Coach Ken to all the kids. Ken also loved music and concerts, and always had music playing wherever he went. From The Beatles to Bruce Springsteen to Jimmy Buffett, Ken would listen to it all and was always up for a trip to a concert. He was an avid reader and passed his love of books on to as many people as he could. He never said no to purchasing a book for a child. He credits his love of reading to the teachers at Spencer Penn, where he always said, “This is where I learned to read!” He had a quick wit and the best sense of humor; everyone who knows him will miss his jokes and stories. Most of all, Ken loved to be there for the ones he loved and help support them however he could. He would love to be remembered for being kind and caring above all else.Services will be held at Wright Funeral Home, 1425 Greensboro Road, Martinsville VA 24112 on Tuesday, October 8, 2024. Visitation will be from 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM, with the service beginning at 5:00 PM. The family would like to give a special thank you to the nurses and CNAs of C hall at Stanleytown Health and Rehabilitation for their endless amounts of love and support shown to us during the last months. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Spencer Penn Centre, PO Box 506, Spencer, VA 24165.Wright Funeral Service & Crematory is serving the family. Online condolences may be made at www.wrightfuneralservices.net