Kenneth J. Hofstetter

KENNETH JOHN HOFSTETTER, PhD, 83, beloved husband of Marilyn J. Palmer Hofstetter, passed away suddenly Monday evening, January 15, 2024 in his home.

     A native of the Quad Cities, IL, Ken was a son of the late Glenn and Maxine Glancy Hofstetter.  He attended Augustana College in Rock Island, IL, where he met his future wife.  He graduated with a BA in Chemistry and earned his PhD in Nuclear Chemistry from Purdue University.  He was a professor at Texas A & M and the University of Kentucky prior to entering the nuclear field.  Ken moved to the Aiken area in 1974 and worked for a short time at Allied-General Nuclear Services as a Radiochemistry Supervisor before moving to Pennsylvania in 1980 to work at Three Mile Island Nuclear Station as a Radiochemical Engineering Supervisor.  In 1987, when the TMI cleanup was completed, he returned to Aiken and went to work as a Senior Advisory Scientist at Westinghouse Savannah River Company and was a senior scientist at the Savannah River National Laboratory, when he retired in 2007. Ken was a highly skilled nuclear spectroscopist with an extensive background in nuclear and radiochemistry techniques in environmental radiation monitoring. He has worked with the FBI, USCG, Homeland Security and United Nations searching for WMD in Iraq. His major accomplishments include several patents and licensed technologies in the field of radiation detection, has more than 130 publications in the scientific literature, and has been listed in multiple editions of Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the South and Southwest. Ken was very active in the Aiken community.  He was a member of South Aiken Presbyterian Church where he was an elder, trustee, served on the administration committee and was a faithful member of the choir.  He was instrumental in setting up the endowment fund at SAPC.  Ken was a member of South Boundary and the Aiken Singers.  At the time of his death, Ken was preparing to teach a class beginning in February on nuclear accidents for the Academy of Lifelong Learning at USC-Aiken.

     Surviving is his wife of almost 59 years, Marilyn; his son, Eric Glenn Hofstetter (Melissa); his daughter, Kelli Rae Hofstetter, all of Aiken; three granddaughters, Gina Hofstetter, Lauren Hofstetter, Sierra Hofstetter; his brother, Steve Hofstetter (Linda), Missouri.  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Linda Schurvinske.

     The family will receive friends Monday evening, January 22^nd from 6 until 8 o’clock at Shellhouse – Rivers Funeral Home.

     A memorial service will be Tuesday afternoon, January 23^rd at 3 o’clock at South Aiken Presbyterian Church with The Rev. Jason Hammersley officiating.  A reception will follow in the Family Life Center.

     In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to South Aiken Presbyterian Church, 1711 Whiskey Rd., Aiken, SC 29803.

SHELLHOUSE – RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, 715 EAST PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC