Lena Bell Thomasson Kitchens, of Burg, Ark., passed away on Friday, Nov., 8th, at the age of 93. She was joyously reunited in heaven with her parents, her husband of 57 years, and her brother Fray Thomasson.
She was born on Feb. 16, 1931, in Billstown, Ark., to Fred Thomasson and Elsie Bell Thomasson.
She married the love of her life, George Riley Kitchens, on Aug. 18, 1950, and together, they built a beautiful life.
Lena Bell was a Christian woman and founding member of Mountain View Missionary Baptist Church in Umpire, Ark.
Lena Bell, lovingly called “Ma” by her family, was a homemaker and farmer. She and Riley raised four sons, Terry, Dennis, Clark, and Mark.
A true nurturer by heart, Ma loved to take care of her family, lovingly cooking weekly Sunday afternoon feasts for many, many years, including her often duplicated but never replicated cornbread and homemade biscuits.
With an impressive and beautiful green thumb, she spent countless hours planting and tending to large gardens full of all kinds of vegetables. Despite her knack for growing food, she was never quite able to grow the mac and cheese her grandchildren asked for. She loved to grow flowers. When she was not working on the farm raising chickens and cattle or doing her best to wrangle her family, Ma could be found quilting or crocheting for her family, always making sure each family member received a lovingly hand-stitched quilt on their birthdays. She took special care to choose each piece of fabric with a specific family member in mind.
She spent many hours watching cartoons, baking cookies, sewing doll clothes, hosting sleepovers, and being the subject of sub-par makeovers at the hands of her grandchildren.
She never missed an opportunity to show up for her family, attending countless ceremonies, graduations, and weddings. She was immensely proud of the family she created and was sure to make certain we all knew it. She made sacrifices without question and without hesitation for all those she loved.
Ma was very funny and had a quick wit and great memory. She could spend hours recalling the smallest details of times long ago. She was a great listener and always ready to lend an ear and give advice worth gold when someone needed to be heard.
Lena Bell was a strong woman and a strong matriarch. She kept everyone in line with one stern look or the threat of a sycamore switch. She was gentle and tough, so beautiful and wise. Her love was never questioned or doubted. It was truly and perfectly unconditional. Her family will miss her deeply.
She leaves to cherish her memory: Terry and wife Linda of Umpire, Dennis and Kathy of McAlester, Okla., Clark of Hot Springs, and Mark and wife Karen of Dierks; seven grandchildren: Michelle Kitchens of Little Rock, Daniel and Danielle Kitchens of Umpire, Alicia and husband Daylon Briscoe of Paris, Texas, Nikki and husband Robert Morphew of Umpire, Dillon Cheney of Fayetteville, Kaitlin and husband Stephen Miller of Dierks, and Alison and husband Eric Wingfield of Dierks; and eight great-grandchildren: Patrick and Barron Kitchens of Umpire, Sophia Kitchens, Max Briscoe and Braylie Anderson of Paris, Texas, and Jacob Moore, Brenten Morphew and Madisyn Morphew of Umpire; one great-great grandson Camden Morphew, as well as a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.
Funeral services for Mrs. Kitchens will be at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, at the Mtn. View Missionary Baptist Church with Brian Pounds and Don Vaughn officiating. Burial will follow in Burg Cemetery, under the direction of Wilkerson Funeral Home in De Queen.
The family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, at the funeral home in Dierks.
The family would like to give a special thanks to Elite Home Health and her five very special caregivers.
You may leave a condolence online at www.wilkersonfuneralhomes.com.
