Beatrice "Bea" Kimbrough

Beatrice (Bea) Elizabeth Kimbrough, 93, went to be with her beloved Lord and Savior on Monday, August 9th, 2021. She passed away at Life Care Center in Winter Haven, Florida, from complications of congestive heart failure. Visitation will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 26th, at Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home in Flowood, Mississippi, with a memorial service to begin at 11:00 a.m. A luncheon will be served following the memorial service. In addition to the memorial service in Jackson, Mississippi, the family will also be hosting a memorial luncheon at Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home in Winter Haven, Florida, on Thursday, September 2nd, at 11:00 a.m. Bea will be laid to rest at Lakewood Memorial Park in Jackson, Mississippi, next to her best friend and husband of 58 years, Floyd Delmar Kimbrough. They were married at St. Luke’s Methodist Church in Jackson, Mississippi, on Easter Sunday in 1948.

Bea was born on June 14th, 1928, in Canton, Mississippi. Her parents, Raymond Coker and Jewell Manning Coker, a brother, Kenneth D. Coker, and her beloved oldest son Kerry Delmar Kimbrough preceded Bea in death. Bea was the family cheerleader. She never missed a high school or college football game. Kerry was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity who ran track and was a cheerleader at Mississippi State. Bea enjoyed serving as the President of the Sigma Chi fraternity mother’s club for two years. Rick and Les attended the University of Mississippi, where they both played college football. She always loved to encourage and support her boys on whatever path they found in life. She was a very involved wife, mother and grandmother.

Bea was a stay-at-home mom, and that job she took very seriously. She took great pride in raising the boys. After they went to high school, she returned to the work force at the Mississippi Employment Security Commission office working in the Human Resource Department for ten years. She enjoyed the work and she cherished the friends she made along the way. Bea’s happiest employment opportunity came from working in the AFLAC (American Family Life Assurance Company) family business. There she was the office administrator, the “Queen Bea” and was very hands on. She ran a tight ship.

In her later years, after the passing of her husband Floyd, Bea relocated from Jackson, Mississippi, to Winter Haven, Florida, to be closer to family. Bea had wonderful relationships with her neighbors in Winter Haven. They took great care of her. She loved dining out, playing Bridge, shopping and traveling. Bea loved to say, “I am on an adventure,” which proved to be true!

Bea will be greatly missed by her family; son Richard (Rick) Raymond Kimbrough and his wife Mary Haven Kimbrough of Palm Bay, Florida/Boise, Idaho, son Leslie (Les) Kent Kimbrough and wife Beth Walter Kimbrough of Boca Raton, Florida; four grandchildren and their families, Kerry (Skip) Delmar Kimbrough and wife Joy Diaz Kimbrough (Lila Beth, Kerry and Benjamin) of Lexington, Kentucky. Jacquelyn Elizabeth Kimbrough Williams and husband Paige Williams (Isabella, Olivia and Bowen) of Carlisle, Iowa, Cole Player Kimbrough of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and Zoey Leslie Kimbrough (daughter of Les and Beth) of Boca Raton, Florida; and a sister, Linda Coker Purviance and husband Gus Purviance of Ridgeland, Mississippi. Bea also had several nieces and nephews she loved dearly. She has two step grandsons and their families, Terry and RoseAnn Haven (Murphy and Jesse) of Fairhope, Alabama, and Gary Haven (Jason and Ashley) of Byram, Mississippi.

Bea was a woman of faith who attended both Broadmoor Baptist Church and First Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi. Bea was raised and married at St. Luke’s Methodist Church in Jackson, Mississippi.

Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home is located at 1144 Burney Drive, Flowood, Mississippi, 39232. Phone: 601-360-8070.

Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home is located at 645 W. Central Avenue, Winter Haven, Florida, 33880. Phone: 863-293-2133.

Memorials can be made to the AFLAC Cancer Hospital and Blood Disorder Center, 1687 Tullie Circle NE, Atlanta, Georgia, 30329.