of Charleston, NC

December 21, 1930 - March 8, 2017

Jerl "Zeke" Kenneth Salmon, age 86, of Charleston, South Carolina, husband of Betty (Roberts) Salmon, entered into eternal rest Wednesday, March 8, 2017.

Zeke, son of the late Thomas Baker and Mary Frances (Taylor) Salmon, was born the eighth of ten children on December 21, 1930, in Bass, Arkansas. He graduated in 1948 from Valley Springs High School in Valley Springs, Arkansas, and attended Arkansas Technical University from 1948 - 1950. Mr. Salmon served as a Sergeant in the United States Army Reserves from 1954-1957. During his breaks from school, Zeke would travel between Arkansas and the Cortez Dam, where he worked near Casper, Wyoming. In 1952, he met and married the love of his life, Betty Roberts, of Green Forest, Arkansas, with whom he shared a loving relationship for 64 ½ years. During that time, he worked for a company called Merchant's Supply, later known as Sav-A-Stop, Inc.

In 1964, he moved to Farmington, Missouri to help start a company called Non-Foods, Inc., a division of Wetterau, Inc, where he served as assistant general manager. In 1972, he moved to Charleston, South Carolina to start another Non-Foods, Inc. In 1990, Wetterau, Inc was purchased by SuperValu, Inc, where he continued to serve as division president and general manager until he retired in 1992.

Zeke is survived by his wife of 64 years, Betty, of Charleston, South Carolina; his daughter, Lisa Bigby (Mack); his daughter-in-law, Mary Salmon; his brother, Joe; and his sister, Mary Pat Breath. Zeke is also survived by his granddaughters, Bailey and Grace Tapert and Hannah and Sarah Salmon; his grandsons, Jonathan and Brad Salmon; his great-grandchildren, Bailee Phillips and Brian and Mary Jane Salmon; and a host of other family and friends. He was preceded in death by his son, Joe ''Jody'' Gordon; and his siblings, Bethel, Earl, Bill, Gladys, Imogene, Roy, and Gordon.


Graveside service was Monday, March 13, 2017, at Maplewood Cemetery, Harrison, Arkansas.


Memorials may be made to either the American Diabetes Association or the American Heart Association.

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