DOROTHY JANE ROBERTS KUYKENDALL 1926 - 2009

KUYKENDALL, DOROTHY JANE ROBERTS "MEME", passed away at home on Sunday, December 20, 2009, after an extended and courageous battle with cancer. Jane was born September 19, 1926, in Greenville, MS.

Although a native of Greenville, she spent many happy days at her grandparent's home in Artesia, MS. Her parents, James Newsome Roberts, Jr. of Columbus, MS and Alyce O'Neil Whitehead Thomason of Greenville, MS preceded her in death. In 1947 she married the love of her life, Samuel Kuykendall in Greenville. In 1950, they moved to Bessemer, AL, where they founded and operated Kuykendall's K&W Furniture Co. for over thirty years. In the beginning Jane worked along side her husband and at the same time raised the couples two daughters.

Her love for her family and church was immeasurable, as was her gift for hospitality. She continued to stay active in her church and community after moving to Liberty Park, in Vestavia Hills, AL. Jane was a long time member of The First United Methodist Church of Bessemer, AL where she served as a member of the Administrative Board and was President of United Methodist Women and J.O.Y. Sunday school class.

She was a member of The Bessemer Junior Service League and President of the Bessemer Chapter of Rotary Anns, auxiliary to the Bessemer Alabama Rotary Club chartered 1914, the oldest acting Rotary auxiliary in the United Sates. Jane was also a member of the Alethean Club and served as President of Sprig and Twig Garden Club.

The world was a much better place for her having been here and is a lesser place now that she is gone. She is survived by her loving husband of over sixty years, Samuel Kuykendall, Liberty Park, Vestavia Hills, AL; two daughters, Linda Kuykendall Gates (Day) of Mobile, AL and Margaret Kuykendall Sullivan (Tom) of Mountain Brook, AL.

She leaves behind three loving grandchildren, Margaret Day Gates Baker (Jonathan), Huntsville, AL, William Day Gates III, Mobile, AL, Thomas Barrett Sullivan, of Mountain Brook, AL; and her dear first cousin, Sue McBride Brizius, Gulf Shores, AL. Two great-granddaughters, Macy Elizabeth Baker and Austill Jane Baker, Huntsville, AL, also survive her.

The family would like to give special thanks to Mrs. Annie Johnson, Doris Grant, Theresa Hervey, and Carol Russell for their care and companionship during Jane's long illness.

Visitation will be held on December 23, 2009 from 11-12 Noon at Currie Jefferson Funeral Home. Funeral services will begin immediately following visitation at 12 Noon at the funeral home. Burial following in Cedar Hill Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in honor and memory of Dorothy Jane Roberts Kuykendall. "...God Himself shall be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." Revelations 21: 3-4.

Published in The Birmingham News on December 22, 2009

Note: the version of this that was published in the Birmingham News on December 22, 2009 had an incorrect birthday of September 29, 2009. Linda Kuykendall Gates corrected this when this copy was saved. The correct birth date is September 19, 1926.