Colonel William Poindexter Kimbrough III
July 24, 1937 - July 03, 2015
Services for William Poindexter Kimbrough III will be held Monday, July 6th, at 11:00 am at North Greenwood Baptist Church in Greenwood, MS.
Mr. Kimbrough, age 77, died on Friday July 3rd at his residence of heart failure.
He was born on July 24th, 1937, in Greenwood, Mississippi, to William P. Kimbrough, Jr. and Lois Thompson Kimbrough. At an early age Billy Kimbrough renamed himself Dexter, and he set forth in Itta Bena as a young promising entrepreneur delivering The Greenwood Commonwealth and The Morning Star newspapers. His business prowess continued through life both at home in Greenwood and abroad.
Upon his graduation from Mississippi State University, he was commissioned as a young Lieutenant to serve with the Belgian Air Force in charge of nuclear weapons, missiles and radars. He spent four years as Inspector General with the responsibility of Engineering Troops in the United States and Germany. Dexter graduated from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Inspector General School, and he was a member of the United States War heading Team and NATO Missile Launch Team. After 39 years of active and reserve service, Dexter retired as a Colonel in the United States Army Corp of Engineers.
For over 25 years, he worked as a part of the industrial team in Greenwood having been associated with Baldwin Piano Company and National Picture and Frame. During these years, Dexter was a vital part of the leadership of Boy Scout Troop 200 and also a member of the Brotherhood of the Order of the Arrow.
He became an active member of the North Greenwood Baptist Church, serving as a deacon for many years. He will best be remembered for his interest in the choir program as a tenor soloist and his performances with the Singing Deacon Quartet.
He served as President of the Greenwood Lions Club and a board member of the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce. As President of Quito Plantation, LLC, he maintained an active interest in the farming community in our area.
Dexter semi-retired to Pocahontas, Arkansas, where he soon became involved with the Magee Corporation working extensively with developing plastic extrusion. He spent the following years of his life in Pocahontas, becoming once again very actively involved in the community life there, serving as President of the Pocahontas Rotary Club and on the Administrative Council of First United Methodist Church.
His love of music prompted him to organize and chair a program at Black River Technical College. Out of this program came a highly trained choir, the Kimbrough Choir, which traveled the United States and Europe.
Dexter loved the Lord, his family, travel, music, antique cars and his country. He will long be remembered for his open heart and his generosity to family, friends, and his community.
Dexter was preceded in death by his parents, William P. Kimbrough, Jr. and Lois Thompson Kimbrough, and his brother, Philip Archel Kimbrough, all of Itta Bena.
He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Rasberry Kimbrough of Greenwood, his daughter, Catherine Kimbrough Alderman and her husband James Howard Alderman of Greenwood, and his son, William P. Kimbrough, IV, of Bethpage, TN. He is also survived by five grandchildren, James Howard Alderman, Jr., Anna Katherine Alderman and Abby Bishop Alderman all of Greenwood, MS and Corey Lee Gardner and Haley Rose Gardner of Bethpage, TN, his brother, Lloyd Henry Kimbrough and his wife, Janice, of Olive Branch, MS, and his sister-in-law, Mary Kimbrough Smith of Jackson, MS.
Visitation will be held Monday, July 6th, from 9:00 am until service time at 11:00 am at North Greenwood Baptist Church in Greenwood. Dr. Jim Phillips will officiate the services. Pallbearers will be Garrett Carver, Hartley Carver, Scott Kimbrough, Jeremy Kimbrough, Chase Downing, Ben Downing, KG Sims and Charles Wright. Honorary pallbearers will be Steve Johnson, Rick Robertson, Phil Smith, Billy Moore, Amos McCormick, members of the Greenwood Lions Club and members of the Pocahontas Rotary Club. Burial will be in Itta Bena Cemetery.
The family is deeply indebted to Sunflower Home Health, Community Hospice and his special caretakers Christy Brinkley, Deanna Rickles and Matthew Blackmon of Greenwood, as well as Pam Barr and Tiffany Skeet of Pocahontas, AR.
Memorials may be made to St Jude Children's Hospital, American Cancer Society, or Black River Technical College Kimbrough Choir. Wilson and Knight Funeral Home is in charge. Online guestbook may be signed at www.wilsonandknight.com