Obituary

Beryl Jean Thompson Knight
January 29, 1940 - December 22, 2017


Beryl Jean Thompson Knight, a current resident of Sharpsburg, Georgia and long-time resident of the Thomas community, died December 22, 2017 at the age of 77. She was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 29, 1940 to Guy and Florence Thompson. She grew up in Gretna and graduated from West Jefferson High School in Harvey, Louisiana.
Shortly after graduation, she started working as a telephone operator for Bell Telephone Company. She transferred with Bell to San Diego California, Oklahoma City Oklahoma, and Denver Colorado before returning to Louisiana, where she worked for Bell South in Algiers and Marrero. In 1978 she relocated with her family to Thomas, Louisiana and retired from Bell South in Bogalusa. In 1985, Beryl married Doyle Wesley Knight and enjoyed 28 years of marriage.
As a young girl in Gretna, Beryl’s Nanny Dot and Uncle Tommy took her to church, where placed her trust in Christ as her Savior. She was a long-time member of New Beginning Baptist Church of Thomas, Louisiana. She and Doyle deeply loved everyone in their church family and were honored with a plaque for their part in building the church’s fellowship hall. Aside from attending church and preparing delicious meals for fellowships, Beryl enjoyed music and dancing, eating out, shopping, and spending time with her beloved sisters in law. She loved to tend her flowers and vegetable garden. She was skilled at sewing, having made quilts and many articles of clothing for herself over the years.
In 2016, Beryl’s sons moved her to be near them in Sharpsburg, Georgia, where she attended Crossroads Church. Beryl volunteered with the Creative Connection international ministry, sewing garments for girls in Africa. She was an active member of a church small group and took part in outreach projects for the community, baking for the local fire house and packing Easter eggs for a community Easter Egg drop from a helicopter with over 10,000 eggs. She loved to sit at the breakfast table with her coffee in the morning, watching the birds at their feeders in the back yard. Playing Bingo at Chick Fil A on Wednesday morning was one of her favorite activities each week, and she was an especially competitive player at Scrabble. Some of her happiest moments were spent eating ice cream, spending time with her grandchildren and having holiday dinners with the family. Everyone who met Beryl knew her to be a sweet and gentle lady with a kind heart who loved to cook.
Beryl is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Doyle, her eldest son, Richard Lee Kelly Jr., her best friend and sister Lynette Kelley, and her dear brother Guy Thompson.
She is survived by her son, Randall Guy Kelly and his wife, Connie, son Ronald Gene Kelly and his wife, Carol, grandchildren Dean, Alan and Christina Kelly, her brother in law, John Kelley, sister in law, Clara Kennedy, an extended family of in-laws, cousins, nieces and nephews, and all of her church family at New Beginning Baptist Church.
Visitation will be at Crain Funeral Home Tuesday December 26th from 5 pm until 9 pm and after 11 am on Wednesday. A funeral service will be held at 2 pm Wednesday in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Keith Branch officiating. Burial will follow in the Smith Cemetery.