Richard Wilson “Dick” Kitchens, a beloved husband, father, brother, grandpa, mentor, leader, servant, coach, friend and Child of The King, 75, of Tifton passed away peacefully at home with family on Thursday, January 4, 2024. His funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, January 7, 2024, at Tifton’s First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Chip Grantham officiating. Dick will be laid to rest at Page Cemetery in Byromville at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, January 7, 2024. The family will receive friends on Sunday, January 7, 2024, at Tifton’s First United Methodist Church from 1:00 p.m. until the hour of the service.
Greg Daniel (football), Jacob Jackson (softball), Larry Poole (FCA), Jason Womack (Road Less Traveled), Larry Newton and, Steve Cadwell (Gideons), James Constable (GAOA) and Ronnie Dobbins will serve as pallbearers.
Born July 15, 1948, in Byromville, Dick was the son of the late Orren Williams Kitchens, Jr. and Mary Grace Rogers Kitchens.
Dick graduated from Vienna High School in 1966, where he played football and was a member of the track and field team. He then attended Valdosta State College in Valdosta. He transferred to the University of Georgia in 1970 and returned to VSC in 1969 to earn his B.S. degree. After graduation in 1970, he moved to Atlanta and worked with Household Finance Company in management, transferring to Macon in 1971, to assume office management training. In 1972, he returned to Valdosta and married the love of his life, Rebecca “Becky” Hicks Kitchens of Cairo, GA. He continued to work for Household Finance until he returned to school to receive his Bachelor’s of Business degree in Accounting. In 1975, he and his wife moved to Cordele, GA and then to Vienna, GA, shortly after. There they resided for seven years with the birth of three girls before moving to their home in Tifton.
He worked at several CPA firms, including Paul Sheppard, Cook, Carter Chapman (Valdosta), Elvin East (Cordele) and Donald Eason (Vienna). He worked for New York Life Insurance and was a tax returns preparer. He traveled the Southeast (AL, GA, FL and SC) as a Workers Comp Auditor for several companies, including Ed Ebner, EBCO mostly, usually with hospitals and car dealerships.
In addition to his professional career, Dick served in many areas. He was a member of Tifton’s First United Methodist Church, where he served as a greeter for the 9:00 a.m. service for over 20 years and Sunday School Superintendent for 15 years. He was on the FUMC Administrative Board, helped with the Dial of Prayer and the Finance Committee. He touched many lives serving as a Sunday School Teacher and as a Mentor for the youth through the Youth Confirmation.
He was a member of the Gideons, where he enjoyed speaking, giving out New Testaments at schools and the fellowship of other Gideons. He served with Road Less Traveled, blessed by working with younger men to help reach others for Christ by providing Christian concerts, Manna drops and encouraging others in fellowship. He was also a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, where he thoroughly enjoyed meeting speakers and involvement in the banquets to help representatives reach coaches, players and others grow in their knowledge and growth in their relationship with Jesus Christ through meetings and camp.
He used his many gifts and talents working as an official for football, softball, wrestling and basketball.
Football - he officiated the GACA football AllStar game in 2006 and 2007. He was awarded Football Official of the Year in 2007, Special Contribution to GADA in 2008, GAOA Official of the Year for the State of Georgia in 2012, Touchdown Club of Atlanta George Gardner Award in 2011 and officiated over 100 playoff games for the Georgia High School Sports Association. He also volunteered as a Community Coach at Matt Wilson Middle School for Coach Fred Tucker usually during fall and spring practice.
Softball - he contributed to softball beginning in 1968, officiating in recreation, GHSA, ASA USSSA, NSA and college softball for 53 years. He coached Tifton Tigers traveling softball team for 12 years and led them to finishing three times 5th place, three times 3rd place, one runner-up and one 1st place winner of the NSA Slowpitch 14U World Series in 1998.
Dick is survived by his wife of 51 years (1972), Becky Kitchens of Tifton; three daughters and two sons-in-law, Susannah and Jake Cowart of St. James City, Florida, Molly and Jason Turner of Tifton and Caroline Kitchens of Lawrenceville. He is also survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Mary Anna and Billy Ingram of Byromville; his brother and sister-in-law, Williams R, and Scotta Kitchens of Augusta; one grandson, Landon Grant Turner; and many nieces and nephews.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial gifts may be made to the Road Less Traveled - Holy Land, Future Now, FCA, Gideons, Tifton Camp, P. O. Box 7051, Tifton, GA 31793; First United Methodist Church Youth Fund, 107 12th Street West, Tifton, GA 31794; or Friends of Chogoria Hospital (FOCH):
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