Kenneth Scott Esmont

November 2, 1970 ~ November 6, 2020 (age 50)

Kenneth passed away at Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital in Florence, Kentucky of a heart attack while returning home from a vacation in Tennessee.  He was born in Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Indiana to Donald Esmont and Sharon McCormack Esmont.  This was the same hospital in which his mother and his grandmother, Elsie Nemeth McCormack were born. Kenneth (known as either “Kenny” or “Big Kenny” to most people) worked as a High Temperature Furnace Operator in the Carbon Disc Brake Division of Honeywell in South Bend. He lived in South Bend his entire life.

Kenny graduated from Clay High School in South Bend, Indiana in 1990.  He was not much of a student, but loved auto shop. Through the years he was in Cub Scout Pack 415 and Boy Scout Troup 450, earning the top award of Eagle Scout. He was a member of Christ the King Lutheran Church  where he was baptized and completed confirmation class. He loved camping, and all forms of auto racing; and even built his own stock cars and raced at the South Bend Motor Speedway and the New Paris Speedway in Indiana, and the Mottville Speedway and Kalamazoo Raceway in Michigan.  In 2012 he won the Michiana Speed Zone Fan Choice Sportsman Award along with winning many trophies from all the races in which he participated. He raced Demolition Derbies, Enduros, and Street Stock cars.  After he gave up racing he enjoyed going to race tracks all over the country.  Each February for the last 20 years, he attended the Dayton 500 with his older brother, Thomas and his sister-in-law Lina.

Kenny had many friends.  Everyone he met was his buddy for life. He would help anyone – friend, family or stranger.  He enjoyed life to the fullest.

He is survived by his mother, Sharon McCormack Esmont, his girlfriend, Maria Toth; his older brother Thomas Esmont (wife Lina) (Orlando, Florida); his Aunt Mei Mark McCormack  (South Bend, IN); Aunt Pamela McCormack (Edwardsburg, MI); plus cousins- Julie McCormack, Michael McCormack, Jodi McCormack (South Bend) and Jamie (wife Lynn) McCormack (Lakeville, IN), along with each of their children. Also important in Kenny’s life was his best friend, Doug Fox who went to school with Kenny and was on the racing circuit with Kenny. His father, Donald Esmont passed away in 2002, and his Uncle David McCormack passed away in 2006.

Donations in memory of Kenny may be made to Riley Children’s Hospital, 705 Riley Hospital Dr, Indianapolis, IN, 46202; Christ the King Lutheran Church, 17195 Cleveland Road, South Bend, Indiana 46635; or Boy Scouts of America, BSA LaSalle Council #165, 1340 South Bend Ave, South Bend, Indiana 46617

A private family service will be held at Palmer Funeral Home - Welsheimer North Chapel. In the future, the family will schedule a large Celebration of Life Memorial Service.

9/14/2021 EJS