June 1, 1932 – April 7, 2026
Wylene Truett Kitchens Loeb, age 93, died in her sleep from vascular dementia at The Phoenix of Opelika Memory Care Unit in Opelika, Alabama on April 7, 2026.
Wylene was born on June 1, 1932 in Lanett, Alabama to Linnie Britt Truett and Elijah Dorman Truett. She grew up barefoot poor but proud and happy. Her dad died when she was eight months old, so she was raised by a single mother who worked in the mill. She was a graduate of Lanett High School and an honors graduate of Auburn University. She later received her Master’s degree in Business Education at Georgia State University in Atlanta. She taught high school business classes in both Lanett and Columbus for five years before changing to Columbus Technical College, where she taught business classes for 19 years. She loved her chosen career, working with and helping students.
Wylene was a lifelong learner, doer, leader and teacher. She felt blessed to be able to stay home with her young children at a time that she was active in the Lanett community and her church. She was president of the PTA, the Town and Country Garden Club and the Junior Progress Club, as well as being the leader of her church circle while living in Lanett. She taught a Sunday school class at Lanett Methodist Church for eight years. She sewed for her young daughters, cooked, read and enjoyed ceramics. She also helped out in a drug store that she and her husband, Jack, owned in Lanett.
When their drugstore was sold, she and her husband moved to Columbus, Georgia, where she learned the art of macrame, how to garden, raise African violets, play bridge and paint. Wylene was a talented artist who painted many landscape works of art that hang on the walls of her family. Reading was always an important part of her life, and for a while, she was a member of two book clubs. After she met and married Morris Loeb, they traveled extensively across the globe, played in several bridge groups, and loved ballroom dancing together. He called her Precious, and she was!
Wylene is currently a member of Wynnton United Methodist Church in Columbus.
Wylene was predeceased by her parents, husbands, Jack Kitchens and Morris Loeb, and her sister, Erlene Truett Shear. Surviving children include David Kitchens (Linda) of Atlanta, Georgia and Balsam Mountain Preserve North Carolina, and her daughters, Suzanne Roberson (Roy) and Ginger Reid (June), both of Auburn, Alabama. Wylene had six grandchildren who were so special to her (and vice versa): Scott (Sarah) Kitchens of Denver, Colorado, Sydney and Gabby Reid of Atlanta, Georgia, Jennifer (Rick) Navickas of Auburn, Alabama, Julie (Phillip) Lehman of Cumming, Georgia and Katie (Corey) Winstead of Asheville, North Carolina. Surviving great-grandchildren include Kit Roberson, Aiden Navickas and Jackson Navickas, all of Auburn, Alabama, Ethan and Ansley O'Toole of Cumming, Georgia, Ruby and Rowe Kitchens of Denver, Colorado and Lily Winstead of Asheville, North Carolina. She adored them all.
In lieu of flowers, friends and family may like to contribute to their favorite charity in Wylene’s memory.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
