Kenneth Lloyd Wolfe, 81, died Saturday, May 9, 2020 at Cornwall Manor nursing home after a long struggle with Parkinson’s Disease.
Ken Wolfe was born in Lebanon, Pennsylvania on February 15, 1939. He was the son of the late Bernice (née Brandt) Wolfe and Lloyd Wolfe. He graduated from Lebanon High School in 1957. Mr. Wolfe was a student athlete in high school. In 1956, the Associated Press named Mr. Wolfe to the Pennsylvania All State Football First Team. He was also selected for the National High School All-America Football Team in that same year. In 2001, Mr. Wolfe was inducted into the Lebanon School District Hall of Fame.
Mr. Wolfe continued his education at Yale University and graduated with a B.A. in 1961. While a student athlete at Yale, Mr. Wolfe helped lead Yale to its last undefeated and untied season as the team’s starting halfback. As a senior, Mr. Wolfe received All-American and All-Ivy recognition for football.
Shortly after graduating from Yale, Mr. Wolfe served in the United States Navy for three years; after which he was honorably discharged holding the rank of Lieutenant. He then attended The Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia where he earned an MBA. Mr. Wolfe returned to central Pennsylvania in 1967 and began his career at Hershey Foods Corporation (The Hershey Company). In 1994, Mr. Wolfe was selected to serve as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the company. He served in that position until his retirement in 2001. Mr. Wolfe also served on the boards of directors for numerous other companies including, Bausch & Lomb, Revlon and GPU, Inc. He also served as a member of the boards of trustees for both the Hershey Trust Company and Fidelity Investments.
Mr. Wolfe is survived by his second wife, Gloria; three children, Arbelyn Wolfe, Pamela Wolfe and Joseph Wolfe; eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Mr. Wolfe was predeceased by his parents as well as his first wife and mother to his three children, Ruth Sansone Wolfe, who died in 1992.
His interment will be a private ceremony.
