Emily Florence (Gilmore) Kuykendall
ODESSA Emily Florence (Gilmore) Kuykendall, of Odessa, passed away on Tuesday, November 17, 2009. She was born June 28, 1941, at The Craigs, Ballymoney, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, the eldest of four daughters to the late John and Florrie Gilmore.
Emily graduated from the Northern Ireland Catering College in Portrush, Co. Antrim and worked at Princess Gardens School in Belfast and British Oxygen in Londonderry before emigrating to the U.S. in 1962, first to Minnesota then moving to Salt Lake City. She moved to Texas to take up a position working at Neiman Marcus in Dallas and then at the home of H.L. Hunt before moving to Odessa where she worked for 15 years as a dietitian at Medical Center Hospital and, prior to her retirement, at Midland Memorial Hospital. During her work at the hospital, Emily was known as a caring and loving friend to her patients and to all her colleagues who remember her with great affection.
While living in Odessa, Emily was involved in many community organizations including the Globe Theatre, the Presidential Museum, Presbyterian Women and was president of Odessa Garden Club.
Emily married the late John A. Kuykendall on Dec. 8, 1984, and is survived by her stepchildren, Nancy Jacobson of Whitesboro, Texas (husband Bill, children James Thomas Jaymmi, CJ and Cayleah), and Brandy Hinton (and husband Jeffrey and their children Kolton and Brayden), Mike Kuykendall of Odessa (wife Cindy, children Jennifer and Michael) and Vicki Richardson of Odessa (children Allison Price and husband Michael, children Blaine and Chance, and John Digby, children Garrett, Zane and Brady), and her beloved companions, pets Brady, Crissie and Maggie Mae.
Her sisters are Linda Manescalchi (husband Giovanni) of Radlett, Hertfordshire, England, Jean Griffin (husband Terry and children Linda and Lorraine) of Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, Northern Ireland, and Rosemary Savage (husband Irvine and son Jonathan) of Limavady, Co. Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
Emily loved life and will be remembered and honored by many friends. Her family is especially grateful for the tender care that she received at Texas Oncology and Midland Hospice. She fought her illness bravely and with grace.
Graveside services are scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009, at Sunset Memorial Gardens with David Harway officiating.
The family requests memorials be directed to Hospice of Midland, 911 W. Texas, Midland, Texas 79701.
Arrangements are under the direction of Sunset Memorial Funeral Home. To sign the guest book, go to our website at www.sunsetodessa.com.
