Mary Thelma Kitchens Dellinger died in Katy, Texas on Wednesday, May 17, 2023. She was born in Tippah County, Mississippi on May 27, 1935 to parents, B.A. and Mary Kitchens.
On August 18, 1951, Thelma married the love of her life, Roy Dellinger. She stayed in North Mississippi and finished high school while Roy continued his army duties in Arkansas, often hitchhiking home to see his blue-eyed girl. After the army, they both graduated from Northeast Mississippi Junior College, then relocated to Starkville for him to finish his degree. Starkville was home for 40+ years. Thelma was a wife, a Mom to Keith (1958) and Donna (1962), a secretary and an athletic ticket office worker at Mississippi State, and she was always a busy lady at First Baptist Church, serving her Lord with youth in Training Union, the children’s department, several committees, and most especially in the Women’s Missionary Union (WMU). Supporting foreign missionaries was a passion for her. In 1996 they relocated to Johnson City, TN to be near children and grandchildren. She continued serving her Lord at Central Baptist Church in her Sunday School with ladies she dearly loved and again with the WMU. She and Roy delighted in their grandchildren. They watched grandsons’ baseball/football in Johnson City and granddaughters’ Madrigal performances in Indiana for many years. In April 2016 they again relocated to Katy, Texas to be with children. When Roy died in 2016, after 65 years of marriage, Thelma continued to enjoy children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren as her health and mind deteriorated.
Thelma was preceded in death by her parents, husband Roy, and her grandson, Nicholas Chaudron.
Those left to cherish her memory include her children, Keith and wife Debra Dellinger of Greenfield, IN, Donna and husband Mike Chaudron of Fulshear, TX, and godson, Stewart Teague and wife Karen of Starkville, MS. She had six grandchildren. Kira Dellinger and fiancé Jon Zeyak of Greenfield, IN, Renee Dellinger Becker and husband Harrison of Erwin, TN, Michael Chaudron and wife Kaylin of Katy, TX, Andrew Chaudron and wife Cayla of Katy, TX, Taylor Teague Eubanks and husband Trent of Starkville, MS, and Doug Teague of Nashville, TN. She also had six great-grandchildren, Jack and Sadie Chaudron, Luke Chaudron, Mary Lillian Becker, and Dawson and Willa Eubanks. She leaves one brother, Roy Kitchens and wife Brenda of Montgomery, AL, one sister, Elwanda Smith and husband Jim of Shreveport, LA, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Visitation is scheduled for 10:00 AM, Saturday, June 3, 2023, at Welch Funeral Home in Starkville, MS. A Celebration of Life service will be at 11:00 AM, with a family interment following in Memorial Garden Park Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please consider giving to the International Mission Board, 3806 Monument Avenue, Richmond, VA 23230.
We would like to thank the precious staff of The Legacy at Falcon Point assisted living. Their love and care the last several years for Mom and her beloved cat, Olivia, can never be repaid.
