Roy Clyde Kilpatrick, 83, died at his home in Statesboro on September 13, 2020 from a sudden illness. Visitation was held Thursday, September 17, from 10 to 11 a.m. at Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home, followed by a funeral service in the chapel with Dr. H. William Perry officiating. All CDC social distancing guidelines were observed. Services were streamed using Facebook Live through a private group. Only members of the group are able to view the service. In order to view the service, log into Facebook on your phone or computer and join the group “Joiner-Anderson Live Stream” at https://www.facebook.com/groups/jafhlive/.
Pallbearers were his nephews, Jason McGee, Keith Mallard, Michael Mallard, Guy Kenny, Justin Brunet, Jorge Brunet, Josh Brunet, Ryan McCoy, Keith White, and Brian White. Honorary pallbearers were the Rotary Club of Downtown Statesboro, 10:30 Coffee Club, Country Store Coffee Club, and his golf buddies.
Mr. Kilpatrick was preceded in death by his parents; his brother and sister-in-law, Robert Harvey and Frances Kilpatrick; sister-in-law, Jennie Kilpatrick; and nieces, Lisa Kilpatrick and Mary Alice Kilpatrick.
He was a native of Oconee County, having been born in Salem, and reared in Farmington. He was the youngest child of Glen and Eula Vickery Kilpatrick. A 1964 graduate of Watkinsville High School, he attended Georgia Southern College and Georgia State University. Mr. Kilpatrick was a graduate of Northwestern University School of Mortgage Banking in Chicago, Illinois. He was a licensed real estate broker, real estate appraiser, and insurance agent.
Mr. Kilpatrick began his career in Atlanta, where he was employed with D.L. Stokes and Company and Mortgage Company of Georgia, which later became The Georgia Loan and Trust Company. In 1970, he and his wife, Thelma, moved to Swainsboro, where he was employed with R.J. Waller Real Estate & Insurance until they opened their own business, Kilpatrick Realty & Insurance. Mr. & Mrs. Kilpatrick operated their business in Swainsboro for more than 25 years until their retirement. Following retirement, he continued to work part-time in insurance for many years.
His life was one of service to his community. While residing in Swainsboro, he was a member of Swainsboro First Baptist Church, Steadfast Sunday School Class, and he served on the church board of trustees. He served in many offices of the Swainsboro Rotary Club, including president. As a Rotarian, he was a Will Watt Fellow as well as a Paul Harris Fellow. Mr. Kilpatrick served as president of the Swainsboro Golf & Country Club, as chairman of the Industrial Development Committee, as chairman of the Economic Development Committee, and as president of the Swainsboro-Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce for two terms. He served on the board of trustees of Swainsboro Technical College, on the board of directors and president of the Altamaha Basin Board of Realtors, on the board of the Georgia Association of Realtors, as president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Georgia (IIAG), and on the national board of IIAG as State National Director.
In 1999, the Kilpatricks moved to Statesboro and made their home on Thelma’s family farm. A lifelong Rotarian, Mr. Kilpatrick was a member of the Downtown Statesboro Rotary Club, Forest Heights Country Club, Statesboro First Baptist Church, Open Door Sunday School Class, 10:30 Coffee Club, and Country Store Coffee Club. In 2011, Governor Nathan Deal appointed him to serve on the Georgia Student Finance Commission, representing the 12th Congressional District of Georgia.
Mr. Kilpatrick will be remembered as a true southern gentleman and a giant of a man with a personality and joyful spirit to match. He seldom met a stranger and if so, they were sure to quickly become friends and golfing buddies. Mr. Kilpatrick's wit, stories, and bear hugs were legendary and will be sorely missed by his friends and family.
Surviving is his wife, Thelma Mallard Kilpatrick; a brother, Thomas Kilpatrick (Barbara) of Conyers; a brother-in-law, Bobby Hall Mallard (Josephine) of Norfolk, Virginia; several nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, and great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews, as well as lots of cousins.
Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home & Crematory of Statesboro was in charge of arrangements.
