Kenneth Wade Lott

Kenneth was born on February 2, 1930, to Matilda Brack Lott and William Ira Lott in Chester, Texas near Peach Tree Village, a former Indian Reservation in Tyler County. His Dad was a sharecropper mainly cotton farming and he grew up on the farm where he and his siblings had jobs to do on the farm. They raised most everything they ate. In 1947 he graduated from Chester High School. After Kenneth graduated, he moved to Beaumont, Texas where he applied for a job and went to work. There in Beaumont he met Sara Josephine Scarborough (aka Sara Jo or Jo) who was originally from Birmingham, Alabama and had moved to Beaumont where her aunt had a rooming house for women where she lived. One day while with his buddy in a café Kenneth saw a beautiful woman sitting there in the café and Kenneth told his buddy, “I am going to marry her.” Kenneth did not know her name nor had he ever met her. Kenneth and Sara Jo dated for a short time and got married on February 16, 1950. They were married for 63 wonderful years. They had not been married long when the Korean war broke out in 1950. The Dow Chemical Company began working to reactivate one of its magnesium plants to help manufacture planes. They were hiring everyone they could to open up this plant and they were recruiting in Beaumont. Kenneth applied for a job with his buddy, and they hired Kenneth and his buddy on the spot. Kenneth and his wife Jo settled in Sweeny, Texas until Uncle Sam called Kenneth to Korea. Kenneth said that in a sense he had to grow up in Korea. He left for Korea and was gone for 22 months. Jo stayed in Alabama with her family. When Kenneth returned home to see Jo they returned to Sweeny, where his Mom and Dad were there also to welcome him home. Soon after the war, Kenneth and Jo adopted three children, Becky, and then Leslie and Stanley who were twins. There were only three months difference in their ages. Kenneth and Jo became members of First Baptist Church Sweeny in 1950 where they grew as Christians and raised their family. Kenneth was the spiritual leader in his family and throughout his life exemplified the love of Jesus Christ in all that he did. Kenneth worked for Phillips 66 for 15 years, which is how he got involved in the Sweeny Community. Kenneth worked in the water softening plants for Phillips. Sweeny was trying to install a water softener and Kenneth volunteered to help them install one. Kenneth also served on the City Council and was eventually offered the City Manager of Sweeny position for which he accepted and held the position for over 24 years. Kenneth loved people and had a passion for serving to meet the needs of his community. Kenneth had the unique ability of making people happy because of his heart of service, sense of humor, and gift of diplomacy. He had the ability to unite people when there were differences of opinions or conflicts. Kenneth also served as trustee for the Sweeny Community Hospital for about 18 years and served as the Hospital Administrator for about six months while Chairman of the Hospital Board and City Manager of Sweeny. Kenneth also was a founder and charter President of the Texas Gas Association (TGA) which is still thriving today. Kenneth served two terms as Mayor of Sweeny during his retirement. Kenneth also had a passion for giving hope to the hopeless and being a friend to the friendless. He felt the call to become a volunteer hospice chaplain. He served as a volunteer hospice chaplain with Helping Hands and Hearts Hospice in Lake Jackson where he volunteered for over 20 years during his retirement years. Due to unexpected reasons Helping Hands and Hearts had to close its doors and in his 90s Kenneth continued to encourage those who were hurting by becoming a volunteer pastoral chaplain at CHI St. Luke’s in Lake Jackson where he continued chaplaincy volunteering by encouraging and visiting patients who were in the hospital. Kenneth has been known to be “the gift that keeps on giving.” He is an encourager who meets people right where they are without judgment letting them know they are valued and loved. Kenneth has a gift of being able to see through the window of your soul and touching your life with love in a way that changes you forever.

Kenneth was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and great- great grandfather. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife Jo, his loving son Stanley Lott, one grandson Deven Lott, his beloved parents, grandparents, and ten siblings.

Kenneth is survived by his loving daughters Leslie Eoff (Rick Eoff) and Becky McKay, daughter-in-law Janice Lott, three loving grandchildren Amber Eoff, Amy Stanley (Jeff Stanley), Ricky Eoff, nine great Kenneth Lott, age 95, of Sweeny, Texas entered heaven, perfectly healed, on March 5, 2025. -grandchildren, and three great-great grandchildren.

The family would like to extend its heartfelt gratitude to the staff at The Fountains Assisted Living in Sweeny, Texas. The personal and continuous love, care, and joy they brought to our Dad until his last breath cannot be expressed in words. The family hopes somehow the staff knows how much Kenneth loved each of them and how much the family loves them too!

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly request that donations be made to FBC Sweeny c/o https://www.fbcsweeny.org

Kenneth Lott Will Be Honored With The Following Services:

Friday, March 14, 2025

9:00 am – 9:45 am: Graveside Service

Military Honor at Sweeny Cemetery

Cemetery is located on 524 (Main Street) about 0.2 miles northwest of CR 332 (E. Ashley Wilson Rd.) in Sweeny, TX 77480

10:00 am – 11:00 am: Visitation at FBC Sweeny

Church is located at 402 N Main Street, Sweeny, TX 77480

11:00 am – Noon: Celebration of Life Service at FBC Sweeny

Church is located at 402 N Main Street, Sweeny, TX 77480