Jesús Segundo Menéndez

Jesús Segundo Menéndez, 83, of Paducah died at 11:15 AM on Wednesday, August 7, 2024. He was born on October 5, 1940 in Sagua la Grande, Las Villas Province, Cuba. As a Cuban immigrant, his passion for work and education have inspired others to achieve the American dream. People from throughout the world look at America the beautiful and want to be included. Menéndez’s example of generosity spans generations. While helping others, he has helped the community.
 
Menéndez attended high school at the Havana (Cuba) Military Academy and Montverde Academy in Montverde, FL. He received his B.S. Degree with majors in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry from Murray State University (MSU) in January 1962. He completed all of the course work for an M.S. Degree in Physical Chemistry from the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) at Oxford in 1963.
 
At MSU, he was a lab assistant in Qualitive Analysis, Quantitative Analysis, and Organic Chemistry. He was also a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) Social Fraternity.
 
As a student at Ole Miss, he taught Spanish in the National Science Foundation Foreign Language Institute. He also did research under the supervision of Dr. Paul Demain. The topic was “Di-electrical Constant Bond Strength”. He served as a researcher under the supervision by Dr. Henio Lutz. The topic was “Alternative Radicals to Molecular Structure of Chlorpromazine,” a mental illness drug. He was a recipient of a U.S. Air Force grant for graduate studies.
 
Menéndez was employed for 38 years in Calvert City with the B.F. Goodrich Chemical Company and the West Lake Monomers Group. He retired in March 2000. During his years in Calvert City, he served as a Senior Chemist, Systems Analyst, Storeroom Manager, Supervisor of Transportation, Inventory Controller, Developer of Trans-loading Stations in Kentucky, Indiana, New Jersey and California and Developer of EXCEL programs for inventory and delivery systems. He received the Plant Simulation Design Award from the B.F. Goodrich Chemical Company.
 
During the years he worked in Calvert City, he served as an adjunct professor at West Kentucky Community & Technical College (WKCTC) teaching COBOL, FORTRAN and Spanish Conversation.
 
When he retired from Calvert City, he taught secondary science (Physics and Chemistry) and Secondary Mathematics (Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry) at a private school called Oakwood Academy.
 
Menéndez served as a community representative on eighteen Scholastic Audit Review Teams throughout the commonwealth for the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE).
 
Menéndez applied for a placement with NASA and he was a serious candidate until NASA learned he did not yet have his U.S. Citizenship.
 
When Menéndez received his citizenship credentials in 1974, he went to the McCracken County Courthouse and registered as a Democrat. He served on the McCracken County Democratic Executive Committee for several years. He has participated in numerous regional and state conventions. He attended the 2004 National Democratic Convention (NDC) in Boston, MA as a delegate. He attended the 2012 NDC in Charlotte, NC as a delegate. He was a guest at the DNCs in 1988 Atlanta, GA, the 1992 New York, NY, and the 2008 Denver, CO.
 
Menéndez enjoyed the BBQ on the River effort when his team worked for several local charities.
 
Menéndez was the recipient of the Golden Hammer Award from Habitat for Humanity, the Best Minority Business Award by the Minority Business Association of McCracken County and the Business Equity Award by the Paducah-River City Business and Professional Women (BPW). On December 4, 2010, he received the Americanism Medal from the Daughters of the American Revolution.
 
Menéndez was a member of the American Chemical Society, Data Processing Managers’ Association, Paducah-McCracken County Board of Realtors, the Kentucky Board of Realtors, and the National Board of Realtors.
 
Menéndez traveled extensively in the U.S., Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, and Canada. He was an eager traveler to Switzerland, Germany, Lichtenstein and Guam.
 
Menéndez served as a Spanish language contact for Kentucky State Police, Western Baptist Hospital and Lourdes Hospital. He was fluent in Spanish and English and he had a reading knowledge of German.
 
Menéndez was the owner and Principal Broker of KMC Realty, which was the oldest real estate firm in continuous operation in McCracken County until 2022. He served two terms as a Commissioner, Paducah Planning and Zoning.
 
Menéndez was a member of Grace Episcopal Church in Paducah since 1969. He served three terms as a Vestryman. He served as a representative to several state conventions of the church. He was involved with an ecumenical group from the Episcopal Diocese of Kentucky to the Companion Diocese of Guatemala to rebuild a school after a major earthquake in 1977. Through Grace Episcopal Church, he and his wife established the Menéndez-Moore Compassion Fund “for those in any way distressed…..” For eight years, he served as the Chairman of the Morrow Fund Committee which was established to assist the elderly regardless of race, creed, religion, gender or national origin. He served as the charter vice-president of the Paducah Cooperative Ministry (PCM), which celebrated its 50^th Anniversary this year.
 
Menéndez and his family established the Moore-Menéndez Scholarship at MSU, the Menéndez-Moore Scholarship at WKCTC with an addendum for the UK College of Engineering (Paducah Campus), and the Moore-Menéndez Graduate Education Scholarship at Southern Illinois University (SIU) at Carbondale, IL.
 
He is survived by his wife Shirley Ann Moore Menéndez, Ph.D., his son, Mark Patrick Clint Menéndez (Melissa Mangino Wilson) of Paducah; granddaughter, Caroline Moore Menéndez of Paducah; grandson, Max Clinton Menéndez of Paducah; Anna Wilson of Paducah, John Wilson of Paducah, Lily Wilson of Paducah, Luke Wilson of Paducah, Samuel Wilson of Paducah; sister-in-law, Dr. Nancy Moore Waldrop (The Rev. Dr. H. Gregory Waldrop) of Cadiz; sister-in-law, Jayne Moore Waldrop (Alexander Moore Waldrop) of Cadiz; sister-in-law, Phyllis A. Overstreet Moore of Paducah; brother-in-law, C. Thomas Moore (Aliese Groves Moore) of Benton; nieces, Jennifer A. Moore of Louisville, Angela B. Moore (Michael Schnuerle) of Louisville; Amanda L. Moore (Jason Vance) of Murfreesboro, TN; Katie Ellen Moore of Brooklyn, NY; Greer Elizabeth Moore Waldrop, MD of San Francisco, CA; Anne Rollings Weddington Waldrop, MD of San Francisco, CA; nephews, Evan Thomas Dalton Moore (Erin Moore) of Gainesville, FL; Alexander Moore Waldrop, Jr., Ph.D. (Allysan Scatterday) of Nashville, TN; John Clinton Thomas Waldrop of Lexington, KY; great-nieces, Michele Nouel of Caracas, Venezuela; Ada Louise Vance of Murfreesboro, TN; Vivian Mary Schnuerle of Louisville, KY; Collins Young of Gainesville, FL; Hadley Young of Gainesville, FL; great-nephews, Henry Moses Vance of Murfreesboro, TN; Clinton Andrew Schnuerle of Louisville, KY; Lamine James Minte of Brooklyn, NY; Malik Thomas Minte of Brooklyn, NY; special cousins, Dr. Rafael Menéndez (Mirta Fernandez) of Miami, FL; Dr. Amos Menéndez of Miami Beach, FL; Dr. Jorge Menéndez of Sagua la Grande, Cuba; Ray Menéndez of Fort Pierce, FL; Dr. Roxanna Menéndez of Naples, FL; special friends, Neel Carroll of Paducah; Judy Bray of Paducah; Tom Cole of Paducah; Paul Berger of Paducah; Hugo Lang of Paducah; Howard Arant of Paducah; and other friends and relatives.
 
He was preceded in death by his father, Jesús P. Menéndez; mother, Dra. Francisca Rosario “Rosita” Menéndez; sister, Rose Maria Menéndez; nephew, Marcel Maurice Nouel; father-in-law, Clinton E. Moore; mother-in-law, Mary Opal Baldwin Moore; brother-in-law, John C. Moore; brother-in-law, Edward Iwankow; daughter-in-law, Donna Wortham Menéndez; cousin, Ramon Menéndez; special friends, Jeff Hines, Joseph Viterisi, Nat Dortch, Buel Alexander, Bill Black Jr.
 
The family would like to express appreciation to all of the healthcare providers, especially Deb, Melissa and Sherry.
 
 
Graveside Services were held at 4:00 PM on Saturday, August 24, 2024 at Mount Kenton Cemetery in Paducah with Rev. Kempton Baldridge, Priest Associate of Grace Episcopal Church, officiating.
 
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 5, 2024 at Grace Episcopal Church with Rev. Charles Uhlik, Rector, officiating.
 
Memorials may be made to the Compassion Fund, Grace Episcopal Church, 820 Broadway Street, Paducah, KY 42001; the Menéndez-Moore Account, PJC, Incorporated – UK College of Engineering, P.O. Box 7380, Paducah, KY 42002-7380; The Moore-Menéndez Scholarship, Murray State University Foundation, 200 Heritage Place, Murray, KY 42081; Moore-Menéndez Graduate Education Scholarship, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62960; or a favorite charity of your choice.
 
You may leave a message of sympathy or light a memorial candle at www.hughesfuneral.com.
 
Hughes Funeral Home of Paducah is in charge of arrangements.