Kenneth Hampton Diamond Jr.

Kenneth Hampton Diamond, Jr. peacefully departed this life on Tuesday, December 15, 2015 at his home in Charlotte, North Carolina. Kenneth was the son of the late Kenneth Hampton Diamond, Sr. and Cora Bryan Diamond. He recently celebrated his 80th birthday on November 25th with his family, friends and his beloved fraternity brothers. Kenneth grew up in the old Brooklyn Community, with his parents and grandparents. He attended Myers Street Elementary School and graduated Second Ward High School in 1954. In high school he was a member of the Honor Society, basketball team, band and orchestra. Upon graduation from high school, Kenneth continued his education at Johnson C. Smith University. While attending JCSU, he was a member of the track team and lettered in the broad jump, high jump, and half mile sprint. In his senior year he was captain of the varsity basketball team. Kenneth graduated from JCSU in the class of 1958 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education. Kenneth began his career as an educator with the Rockingham, North Carolina Schools where he taught and coached for several years. He served as the registrar at the Mecklenburg Junior College before assuming a teaching position at Lincoln Heights Elementary School in Charlotte in 1964. During his tenure at Lincoln Heights Kenneth was named Teacher of the year. Also during that time he served as a test administrator for Piedmont Community College. Kenneth retired from the Charlotte - Mecklenburg School System in 1988. Throughout his retirement he continued his legacy of community involvement. He loved sports and shared that love with several youth basketball teams, coaching them to championships. Kenneth also served as a liaison for the National Youth Sports Program at JCSU. Kenneth was a life member of the Second Ward High School National Alumni Foundation, Inc. He was the 1995 Outstanding Alumni of the year and a member of the Foundation’s Hall of Fame. Kenneth was a third generation member of First Baptist Church West and was honored as a Golden Awardee at the church’s one hundred thirty years celebration. For more than 50 years Kenneth was a brother of the Pi Phi Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. of Charlotte, North Carolina and was the Omega Man of the year in 1985. Up until his health declined he was the manager of the Omega Fraternity House on Statesville Road. Kenneth is survived by his son, Jeffrey A. Diamond and his sister Vermelle Diamond Ely, a host of friends and his fraternity brothers.

Kenneth Hampton Diamond Jr.

November 25, 1935 - December 15, 2015