Irwin Kennedy “Ken” Wiley passed away peacefully on June 10th, 2026. He will be remembered for his love of, and dedication to family and friends.
Ken will live forever, both in the loving arms of his Lord and in the memories of all that knew him and were touched by his kindness and his generous heart. He lived his life thinking about and helping others.
To his family and friends, he was treasured for his love and support throughout their lives. He inspired others to become their best selves.
Ken was born on February 17th, 1938 to Alice Kennedy Wiley and Jesse Samuel Wiley in Omaha, Nebraska. He soon moved to Dallas where he would spend his formative years and attended Woodrow Wilson High School where he graduated in 1956. Ken continued his education at Texas A&M University and Tarleton State University.
After college Ken met and married Andrea McMullen Wiley and they made Dallas their home. Early highlights of their married life were the births of their two beautiful daughters, Kristin and Kara. Ken enjoyed membership at Royal Oaks and Lakewood Country Clubs where you could find him playing golf with friends and spending weekends at Cedar Creek Lake with his family where he enjoyed teaching his girls and their friends how to water ski. Ken enjoyed riding dirt bikes and listening to Willie Nelson.
In 1971, Ken co-founded Gotcha Covered, a women’s clothing manufacturer that was among the first to make jeans in junior sizes for young women. Gotcha Covered continued to expand their women’s clothing line until Ken decided to retire and move to Austin in 2007.
During this time period Ken met and married Eva Sasser, with whom he shared 32 years of marriage. Ken and Eva spent extended periods of time in Santa Fe, NM and also loved to travel abroad to Eva’s home country of Jordan and many other European countries.
Ken and Eva purchased and ran a Bed And Breakfast overlooking Lake Travis in 2007. They ran the business together where Ken enjoyed working with his hands and Eva used her excellent cooking skills to delight the guests. Ken and Eva thrived on connecting with their guests and making them feel welcome and entertained.
Ken leaves behind a legion of friends and a loving family who will miss him dearly. He is preceded in death by his parents, Sam and Alice, and his sister, Genie Wiley Kunz of Birmingham Alabama.
He is survived by his loving wife Eva Wiley; his daughters Kristin Wiley Gauntt and her husband Robert; Kara Wiley Gaskamp and her husband Mark; grandchildren Travis Gauntt and his wife Lizzy; Tyler Gauntt and his wife Jordyn; Turner Gauntt and his wife Ellie; Sydney Gaskamp; Courtney Gaskamp Schaffer and her husband Jacob; great granddaughters Wiley Gauntt and Sofia Gauntt; and great grandsons Hudson and Beau Gauntt. He is also survived by stepdaughter Tanya Sasser Rutledge and SeanSasser.
The family wishes to express their appreciation to the caregivers at Belmont Senior Living Center, Auberge Memory Care Center and Magnolia Hospice for the care and attention over the past few years.
The family will gather for a private internment service in Del Norte, Colorado in early July.
For those so desiring, in lieu of customary floral tributes, the family would appreciate donations in Ken’s memory to be directed towards these organizations he dearly loved; Community First Village Austin (mlf.org) or Austin Ridge Bible Church (austinridge.org) .
