Wilburn Kuykendall

Wilburn E. "Kirk" Kuykendall Sr., age 84, of Kings Mountain, passed away Saturday, November 8, 2014 at Wendover Hospice House in Shelby. Son of the late William and Carrie Lovelace Kuykendall, he was born February 24, 1930 in Ellenboro, NC. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Larry Kuykendall; brother, Walter Kuykendall; and sisters, Margie Lovelace and Nora Yarbrough. Kirk helped organize the Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Department where he served as the first chief. He was a member of Bread of Life Baptist Church in Shelby and volunteered the last 15 years of his life with the Crossroads Rescue Mission in Shelby. Mr. Kuykendall is survived by his wife of 53 years, Carolyn Callahan Kuykendall; son, Pastor Ed Kuykendall and wife Melissa of Shelby; daughters, Kelly Black of Grover, NC, and Wendy Harmon of Kings Mountain; brother, Louis Kuykendall of Hampton, VA; sisters, Bertha McNichols of Gastonia and Lois Coble of Lexington, NC; 13 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and special family friends, Mitchel and Ruby McKinney and children. The family will receive friends from 3pm until 5pm on Sunday, November 9, at Greene Funeral Service, West Chapel, 216 Archie Whitesides Rd., Gastonia. A funeral service, officiated by Pastor Ed Kuykendall and Brother Rocky Shelton, will be held at 2pm on Monday, November 10, at the funeral home. Interment will be at Westview Gardens in Bessemer City. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Crossroads Rescue Mission, 206 Mt Sinai Church Rd, Shelby, NC 28152, or Bread of Life Baptist Church, 3754 W. Dixon Blvd., Shelby, NC 28150, or Wendover Hospice of Cleveland County, 951 Wendover Heights Dr., Shelby, NC 28150.