MILDRED KELLEY YOUNGBLOOD

Mildred Kelley Youngblood passed away peacefully on Fri., July 7, 2011, at Troy Regional Medical Center, surrounded by family.

Her life will be celebrated Sun., July 10, at 2 p.m., at Troy First Baptist Church with Dr. Luke Lane officiating. Graveside services will immediately follow at Oak Grove United Methodist Church cemetery with the Rev. David Stewart officiating.

Visitation will be held today from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Dillard’s Funeral Home in Troy and one hour prior to the service at the church.

Born in the Oak Grove Community of Pike County, young Mildred – the only daughter of Joe B. and Mary Wyatt Kelley – was well known for her gentle loving kindness, commitment to family and her deeply held spiritual beliefs.

Upon graduation from Troy High School, she attended Troy Business School, preparing for a future career. In 1946, she married the love of her life, Paul A Youngblood of Shellhorn, Ala. After a brief tenure in Ft. Walton Beach, Fla., the two returned to Troy and continued raising a family. It was in Troy that Mildred’s faith and business training melded, blossoming into a 23-year career as the respected financial secretary for the city’s First Baptist Church. Following her 1986 retirement from the church, she accepted a position as a curator with the Pioneer Museum of Alabama, delighting young and old with her copious knowledge of and love for local lore and archaeological treasures from the Pike County area. Throughout her life, she demonstrated a passionate commitment to her church and the community at large by engaging in a number of volunteer endeavors, including Meals on Wheels, Oak Grove Methodist Church’s cemetery committee and First Baptist Church’s counting committee.

Her central areas of devotion, though, were to her family and friends, frequently helping spearhead reunions, homecomings and other such events. She enjoyed a rich social life as well, much of which was spent visiting with friends at the J. O. Colley Sr. Complex, playing bridge and sharing meals at the complex’s nutrition center. She also relished a spirited game of bingo from time to time at the hospital or community center. She was particularly thrilled to be a part of the church’s Growing Old And Loving It club.

She is survived by three sons and their wives, Joseph P. and Carol W. Youngblood of Ft. Payne, Kelley A. and Brenda Youngblood of Troy, and Wyatt A. and Anne C. Youngblood of Columbia, S.C.; six grandchildren, Diana Youngblood of Orlando, Fla., Stacy Youngblood of Lebanon, Ind., Cari Y. and Dan Dutcher of Sacramento, Calif., Elizabeth Schuster of Troy, and Alan and Grace Youngblood of Columbia, S.C; and one great-granddaughter, Carrigan Dutcher, also of Sacramento, Calif.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 42 years, Paul A. Youngblood, in 1988; her parents, Joe B. Kelley and Mary Wyatt Kelley; brother Roscoe D. Kelley, and beloved sister-in-law, Sara Sutherland Kelley.

Pallbearers will be Doug Kelley, Wes Kelley, Paul Barfoot, Will Barfoot, Dr. Ben Kelley, Dave Owen, Alan Youngblood and Joel Barfoot. Honorary pallbearers include the Builders Sunday School Class from First Baptist Church.

Along with flowers, donations may be made to Oak Grove United Methodist Church Cemetery Fund or the Pike County Humane Society.

To sign the online guest book, visit www.dillardfh.com.