Catherine Sarah Kimbrough was born on January 9, 1927, and died peacefully on August 23, 2022 in Gordonsville, Virginia at the age of 95. Born in Virgilina, Virginia in an era when women typically had limited expectations for themselves, Catherine boarded a bus at the age of 17 and enrolled in the Johnston Willis School of Nursing in Richmond, Virginia, where she subsequently became a Registered Nurse. It was while she was working in Richmond that she met and fell in love with her future husband, Allan Moore Kimbrough, Jr. Their union lasted 55 years until Allan’s death in 1996.
In 1972, Allan moved the family to the Northern Neck and opened the area’s first Sears and Roebuck catalog store in Kilmarnock, Virginia. Catherine quickly went from taking care of her patients to taking care of the accounting for the family business. Although it was a difficult transition for her, like everything else in her life, she jumped in with both feet and figured things out.
The Northern Neck was their home for more than 30 years. She was a long-time member of Kilmarnock Baptist Church where she served as a deacon for many years. In 2005, she moved to Gordonsville to be closer to family and in 2016, she moved to Dogwood Assisted Living in nearby Orange. She spent her last five months living with her daughter and family and died peacefully surrounded by her loved ones.
Catherine made friends wherever she lived or traveled,and was universally described as someone with a great personality who could strike up a conversation with just about anybody. Her humor, kindness, and laughter will be missed by all who knew her, but especially her family.
She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Allan; her sisters, Myrtis Brann, Barbara Anderson, Alma Comer, Esther Tillotson, Virginia Morris, and two brothers, Wilson Puryear and Robert Puryear. She is survived by her daughter Karen Barden (Terry), and two sons, Michael Kimbrough (Susan) and David Kimbrough; four grandchildren: Olivia Barden, Justin Barden, Brittany Crump, and Michelle McDearmon; five great-grandchildren: Dawson Crump, Colton Crump, Berkeley McDearmon, Bowen McDearmon, and Avery McDearmon. She is also survived by a sister, Clara Wimmer, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at Preddy’s Funeral Home in Gordonsville, VA on August 27, 2022. There will be a viewing at 12 pm and the funeral at 1 pm. A graveside service will be held the following day, August 28, 2022 at 2 pm at the Kilmarnock Baptist Church Burial Ground (Woodlawn Cemetery),
Kilmarnock, Va. where she will be laid to rest beside her husband.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation be made to the
Alzheimer's Association in memory of Catherine Kimbrough.
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