Charlene LaNell Stewart Kilpatrick

Charlene LaNell Stewart Kilpatrick
July 15, 1937 - September 20, 2022
Charlene Kilpatrick, 85, always had a child-like faith just as Jesus said as recorded in Matthew, Chapter 18, and today she woke up and saw God's face. She was born in Drew, Mississippi with an identical twin, Arline LaVell Walker.
Her younger sister, Bettie Ann Bervaldi, stated while growing up they had their own language, which she had to translate to their mother and father. They were held back a year in early elementary as to be in Bettie's class so she could translate to the teacher as well. The best Bettie could describe it was as two little mice squeaking quietly to each other.
Charlene and Billy Joe raised five children, but it's been said they helped raise many teenagers as they owned and operated a restaurant known by three names, The Dairy Treat/The Dairy Bar/The Varsity. Billy Joe helped his father build it in 1954, and Billy Joe and Charlene purchased it in 1964. As the teenagers rode around the Dairy Bar on the weekends, enjoying food and dancing during their nights of cruising Belzoni, Charlene and Billy Joe kept a stern watch to maintain good, clean fun.
Charlene loved raising her children in Belzoni, a bedrock community of Christian men and women, who didn't hesitate in putting any teenager back on the straight and narrow without mentioning a word to the teenager's parents.
Charlene loved her church, especially her Sunday School class, as this group of ladies was part of that generation's building of a foundation which helped develop the wonder years so many children enjoyed as they grew in this small Delta town.
Charlene enjoyed playing the piano for the church in her latter years, but she especially enjoyed being a part of the Ladies Handbell Choir. Due to her many handbell practice escapades she was affectionally known as the "Sister Moderator".
Charlene loved watching her children play sports and cheerleading, and she did not mind giving the referees a piece of her mind when she felt an error was made in the judgment of their calls. Even then it sounded as if she were speaking a foreign language as the words were coming out so fast. She especially loved watching the basketball games as she had also played during her school years in Isola, Mississippi.
As a young girl, she loved going to national parks with her family as her mother, Cleta, wanted them to see the great southwest. However, when her dearly departed brother, Clarence Stewart was stationed at an Air Force base in South Carolina, the annual trips started going east.
Charlene and Billy Joe enjoyed almost sixty-five years of marriage and once when asked why they were coming out of retirement to again own and operate The Varsity after working seven days a week for many decades, they both said, "I love and miss the people."
Charlene was preceded in death by her husband, Billy Joe Kilpatrick, her father John Brasher "JB" Stewart, her mother, Cleta Ray Stewart and her brother, Clarence Arvil Stewart. She was survived by her two sisters, Arline LaVell Walker and Bettie Ann Bervaldi, five children, Diane LaNell Jones (Freddie) of Hollandale, Danny Joe Kilpatrick of Poetry, Texas, Deborah Alisa Domino (Anthony) of Indianola, Delinda Ray Russell (David) of Trussville, Alabama and Douglas Hansford Kilpatrick (Shawn) of Southaven.
Charlene is also survived by twelve grandchildren, being Mandy (Ramey), Kacey (Billy, Jr. "Boo"), Daniel, Dane, Tony (Sarah Grace), Alex (Parker), Tyler (Hayden), Brandon (Callie), Brian (Brooke), Brent, Abbie and Austin, as well as eight great-grandchildren, being Madison, Mari Mason, Riley, Reese, Grace, Jane, Henry, Roland, Kacen James and Cooper along with many extended family members.
Family and friends will celebrate her life with visitation on Sunday, September 25, 2022 from 12:30 to 2:00 at First Baptist Church of Belzoni, followed by her funeral services at 2:00. The burial ceremony will take place at the Belzoni Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee in honor of Mari Mason Hubbard.