Peter Joseph McKenna Jr.

Peter Joseph McKenna, Jr., age 59, passed away on March 25, 2024, and his family and friends are profoundly saddened.

Pete was born on June 14, 1964, in New Brunswick, NJ.  He grew up in Rumson, NJ, moved with his family to Greenville, SC , before attending and graduating from the University of South Carolina. He was a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend. He will be deeply missed by his adoring wife of 33 years, Robin Powers McKenna, and their sons, Peter Joseph McKenna, III and James Holloman McKenna. He is also survived by his father, Peter Joseph McKenna, Sr.; and his sisters, Kirsten Margaret McKenna, Kelly McKenna Vergnolle (Rob), and Kendall McKenna Carriere (Clayton). Pete was predeceased by his mother, Margaret “Jeanne” McKenna.

Above all, Pete was a devoted family man who always prioritized his loved ones.  Pete’s devotion to Robin was constant, and she was the love of his life.  They enjoyed attending concerts and went on many special trips with friends and family.  He took an active role in every aspect of raising their two wonderful sons and set an example of placing family first as they created many precious memories.

Pete was also a hardworking and successful businessman who enjoyed a career in finance for over 37 years. He was most recently a Senior Vice President with South State Bank.  In addition, Pete served on the Board of the Meyer Center for Special Children for many years as well as the Advisory Council of Homes of Hope. His colleagues and clients highly respected him for his integrity, passion, and work ethic.

Although a hard worker, Pete took his leisure time very seriously. He was lucky to have a special, close-knit group of friends he loved dearly.  The A-Team, The Henry Hudgins Memorial Golf Group, The Titos Friday Football Group and The Playas were among his most cherished relationships.  He loved nothing more than playing golf at the Greenville Country Club with his countless friends, passionately cheering on the mighty Gamecocks, seeing his idol Bruce Springsteen dozens of times and spending time on the ski slopes.  Pete was known for greeting everyone with a smile and positively impacted all those he met.

He never met a stranger, and his sense of humor was legendary.  With his booming voice, he was always ready to share a bet with one of his many friends and golf buddies and he regaled his neighborhood with his early morning 2001 Space Odyssey wake-up calls during football season. Never one to miss out on a good practical joke, Pete was the master of shenanigans.  He often showed up at parties wearing a top hat or some other outlandish piece of clothing to complement his exuberant personality.  Everything was more fun when Pete was around.

Pete’s legacy will live on through his family and the many people whose lives he touched. He will be remembered as a quick-witted, passionate and full-of-life man who made the world better.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, March 29th at 5:00 p.m. at Christ Church Episcopal followed by a celebration of life at the Greenville Country Club from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers memorial gifts may be made to the Meyer Center for Special Children at www.meyercenter.org or Homes of Hope, Inc at https://homesofhope.org.

Friends are encouraged to share their favorite memories of Pete with the family by clicking on the button labeled “Leave A Message, Share A Memory” below.