Kenneth C. Philo

Kenneth “Ken” C. Philo, 85, of Maidens, Virginia, died Saturday, October 10, 2020, at Henrico Doctors Hospital after a period of declining health. The funeral service will take place at 10:00 a.m., at Gravenor Home For Funerals, Ephrata Pennsylvania, on Saturday, October 17. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, attendance will be limited to immediate family members only, but will be available for viewing online via: https://www.facebook.com/274541522349/live/ Interment will follow at Bergstrasse Lutheran Cemetery, 9 Hahnstown Road, Ephrata. Ken will be attended by his son, Ken Philo II, four of his grandchildren, Leslie Melton, Jessica Lutz, Josh Keim, and Alex Clabaugh; and son-in-law, Ray Keim. Ken was born and raised in Glidden, Iowa and graduated from Glidden Ralston High School in 1953. In 1956, he married his childhood sweetheart, Darlene (nee Jung), and in 1957, earned a Liberal Arts degree from the University of Iowa. From 1956 to 1961, he also served in the U.S. Army Reserves, rising to the rank of Sergeant First Class. After school, Ken moved his young family to Omaha, Nebraska and immediately began work in the fledgling television industry. Ken’s career grew, along with his family, and moved them from Omaha to Cleveland, Ohio in 1960. The family of seven then moved to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania in 1965, where he also designed the family house. In Philadelphia, Ken worked at KYW-TV as Art Director for The Mike Douglas Show and later, became nationwide head of all Westinghouse Broadcasting Art Departments. In 1979, Ken left Westinghouse to begin work as a freelance set designer for television, allowing him to create award-winning designs for television stations across the country, including the first CNN-Headline News set in Atlanta. Ken and Darlene retired to Ephrata, Pennsylvania in 1997, and after her death, Ken moved to Maidens, Virginia (near Richmond). Ken was preceded in death by his wife, Darlene Philo, his daughter, Darci Philo, parents, John and Irene Philo; brothers, Linn and John Philo, and sisters, Mary Clausen, Ruth Bockelman, and Yvonne Rasmussen. Surviving are Ken’s sister, JoAnn Hall, brother, Roger Philo, children, Lauri Reynolds and husband Bryan, Kathy Philo and wife Sandy Kerrick, Jennifer Keim and husband Ray, Ken Philo II and wife Paula, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and staff of Henrico Doctors Forest Hospital and of Hospice of Virginia for their care and support. Memorial donations, in lieu of flowers, may be made to Doctors Without Borders, online at https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/onetime.cfm or mailed to Doctors Without Borders, P.O. Box 5030, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5030.