Doris Jeanette Kuykendall
1934 – 2024
Doris Jeanette Odneal Kuykendall was born on November 22,1934, to JD and Myrtle Odneal in Frederick, Oklahoma and passed from this life April 9, 2024 in Luther, Oklahoma. She was preceded in death by her husband, Sonny, her parents, and a brother, Jimmy Odneal. She is survived by her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Ron and Joan Kuykendall, and sister-in-law Carole Ann and the late Jearl Kirkendoll. Her children, Jim and Beth Kuykendall, Jay and Julie Kuykendall, Aaron and Becky Kuykendall, and Chuck and Amy Kuykendall Clowers. Her grandchildren, Audrey Jones, Alyssa Foss, Caleb Kuykendall, Emily Kuykendall, Ava Kuykendall, Aliese Stipes, Ryan Kuykendall, Jacob Clowers, Anna Ratliff, Elizabeth Clowers, Jay Kuykendall, Ella Kuykendall and the late Dustin Clowers. Her great- grandchildren, Lily, Rose, Noah, Sarah, Channing, Asher, Bella, Lochlan, Everett, Rowan, Jon, Theodore, Aviana, Heidi, and Ivy.
Sonny and Doris met when they were children. They were childhood sweethearts and were married for 72 years. They attended and served at several Church of Christ congregations throughout the years. In recent years they were members of the New Hope Church of Christ and when the time came that they were physically unable to go to the building, having the ability to worship online blessed them and brought them much happiness and joy.
Doris, or “Granny” as she was called by her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, loved being a homemaker and was also a great bookkeeper for the family business for many years. She was a wonderful cook and many memories were made at the table eating her delicious dinners- including goulash, mashed potatoes, and her homemade rolls. She and Sonny both loved singing and Doris had a beautiful soprano voice. She and Sonny sang at countless weddings and different events for many years. She loved to travel, read, and was gifted at knitting and sewing. She knitted for family and friends as well as knitting hats for premature babies in the hospital. She made countless quilts and anything that could be knitted or sewn for her loved ones.
She found joy in opening her home to others and was known for being a great hostess. Hospitality was one of her gifts and she and Sonny hosted many holidays and birthday celebrations throughout the years. People in all stages of life, from homesick Oklahoma Christian College students whose families lived out-of-state and who were “adopted “ by Sonny and Doris, to members of different church groups, were all recipients of her welcoming generosity.
When her grandchildren and great-grandchildren came along, they all knew they were welcome anytime at Granny and Pawpaw’s house. There are so many memories of hearing her beautiful voice read story books to the kids and of her fixing them tang and macaroni and cheese among other snacks.
Doris lived for her Savior and her family and had a servant’s heart. We were blessed to have had her in our lives.
Graveside services will be held Friday, April 12, 2024, beginning at 3:00 p.m. at Rose Hill Burial Park, 6001 NW Grand Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK 73118.
Doris and Sonny were special Christian friends. We enjoyed being with them worshipping God, and going on trips and in our homes eating and playing games. Times with them were special. Richard and Ellen Brewer
Doris and Sonny made us feel so welcome at Putnam City church of Christ when we started attending as a young couple with two young children. We cherish the many wonderful memories of our times together worshiping, traveling and visiting together. They were always examples of what a Christian couple should be.
Sonny and Doris changed my life forever. I met Sonny and Dorris in about 1985 or 1986 when their grandson, Dustin was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit where I worked as a nurse. Dustin was very sick and his parents were young. Sonny, Doris and the rest of the family took turns, so someone was with Dustin 24/7. Sonny, Doris and the rest of the family members got to know all the hospital staff. There was something about them and their family that was unique. Over several weeks there were many rocky times; but Sonny and Doris were different. They got to know all the nurses and talked about their church a lot.
Knowing I was newly single, they told me about their church’s singles group. I also got to know their son, Jimmy and his wife, Beth. Sonny invited all the nurses to their church and one Sunday, I went. That was not something I ever would of done. Sonny and Doris were not the “just invite you to church people”. They not only invited me to church, they sat with me in the singles class and introduced me to everyone, and to all the people in that class that worked at the hospital I worked at. Then they took me to their house to have lunch with all their family. These people knew how to make you feel welcome.
When their grandson’s condition deteriorated, they were different. In the middle of that crisis, everyone knew they that family had something, but none of us understood what it was. Unfortunately, Dustin died, but they family still continued to reach out to me.
Beth became a great friend and showed me what Christian love was. When she tried to study the Bible with me and I did not want to, it did not bother her, she still was a good fried. Later, I wanted to be baptized, but was too scared to do it on a Sunday morning, Beth went with me on a weekday and was their when I was baptized. I met a man in that singles group and later married him. The Kuykendall family was at the rehearsal dinner and my wedding. Beth was my bridesmaid. Thirty-six years later, Sam and I are still married, have two kids that we have raised in a wonderful church and I read and study the Bible every day. Sonny, Doris and the Kuykendall family changed my life forever, with some simple Christian hospitality and a heartfelt invitation.
I wrote this because today I was at Doris’s funeral and I was not about to tell this story in front of all those people. However, my husband did.