Ralph Kuykendall

James Ralph Kuykendall, 91 of Amory, died at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo on July 31,
2022. Visitation will be at E.E. Pickle Funeral Home on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 from 5:00 until 8:00
p.m. The funeral service will be Thursday, August 4, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at East Amory Missionary Baptist
Church.

Ralph was born to Fred and Minnie Mae Kuykendall on November 27, 1930. Ralph was a graduate of
Amory High School where he was a tackle on the 1947-48 Amory Panther Little Ten Championship
Team. Ralph gave up a college football career when he was activated by the National Guard. Ralph was a
proud veteran of the United States Army and served during the Korean War.

A lifelong Christian, Ralph was a devoted member of East Amory Missionary Baptist church where he
served as a deacon, Sunday School teacher, and Treasurer. Ralph enjoyed meeting new people and had
an easy way with strangers that allowed him to minister to many people while distributing Bibles as a
Gideon.

Never afraid of hard work, Ralph spent much of his early career building furniture for Pullman Couch. He
eventually went to work as a foreman at True Temper where he later retired.

Next to his faith, Ralph considered his family his greatest blessing, especially, Jane, his wife of almost 70 years. He loved spending time with his three daughters, grandchildren, great grandchildren and nieces and nephews. He cherished being “Papa Ralph” and “Uncle Ralph.” He especially enjoyed calling his children and grandchildren by the unique nicknames he carefully chose for them. His love of family and country led him to travel to Normandy France in 1994 to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the “D-Day” invasion and accept an award on behalf of his brother and “D-Day” veteran Bob Kuykendall.

Ralph loved the outdoors and was an avid deer hunter. He developed a passion for gardening later in life
and took an interest in Native Azalea plants. He travelled all over the Southeastern United States to
procure an impressive collection that various gardening organizations often toured in his “Hill and Hollow: before he finally donated his collection to Itawamba Community College in 2006.

Strong willed to his core, Ralph never backed down from a challenge and when he set a goal, whether it
be at church, work, or in one of his many hobbies, Ralph was “all in” with everything he did.
Ralph is survived by his wife Jane Kuykendall; his daughters, Mary Jo (Billy) Kirkpatirck, Jeannie (Stephen) Goodnoh, and Anna (Andy) Howell; grandchildren Paul (Jenny) Kirkpatrick, Mary Kathryn (Tyler) Williamson, Molly (Dusty) Sims, and Spence (Blakele) Howell; and great grandchildren Adele
Kirkpatrick; Jack and Mary Neely Williamson; Lane and Anna Lauren Sims.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by 4 brothers and 1 sister.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Youth Department at East Amory Missionary Baptist Church, 905 Hatley Road, Amory, MS 38059