Sue Kimbrel

Sue B. Kimbrel, 87, Coffeyville, died Tuesday evening, July 12, 2011 at her home. Mrs. Kimbrel was born October 31, 1923 at Belleville, Kansas to Samuel H. Blair and Mary KatherineKatie Miller Blair. She grew up in Belleville and graduated Belleville High School at the age of 16. Shortly after graduation, Sue left for Pasadena, California where she studied to be an actress at Pasadena Playhouse. She was a radio actress and hand model. Sue came back to Kansas, where she managed her fathers theater in Smith Center. On one of her train trips between Kansas and California, Sue met Claude R. Kimbrel, whom was in the U.S. Air Force. After the war, the couple was married on June 14, 1948 at St. Edwards Catholic Church in Belleville. The Kimbrels were stationed in Germany, where they had two daughters. The family returned stateside, where Col. Kimbrel was stationed in several locations, including Andrew Air Force Base and downtown Washington, D.C., Ft. Churchill in Manitoba, Canada and Norton Air Force Base, California. After Col. Kimbrels retirement from the Air Force, he and Sue moved to Wichita and came to Coffeyville in 1986. Sue was a member of Holy Name Catholic Church and was Regent of Coffeyville Chapter of DAR. She was a member of Coffeyville Searchlight Club, Coffeyville Garden Club and was active with her husband in the Coffeyville Literacy Project. Sue enjoyed sewing raising African violets and playing piano. She was past President of Montgomery County Genealogical Society and loved to travel, spending her 87th birthday on a cruise to the Bahamas. Survivors include her daughters, Blair Jennifer Dalton and her husband, Bob of Topeka and Deborah Kay Sylvester and her husband, James of Browntown, Virginia five grandchildren, Katherine Sylvester, David Sylvester, Laura Hamilton, Caroline Hastings and Deborah Dalton and one greatgrandson, Chase Hastings. She was preceded in death by her parents by her husband, Col. Claude R. Kimbrel, USAF Ret. by a daughter, Claudia Sue Kimbrel by one brother, DanielDan Blair and by a sister, Dorthy Peele. Mass of the Chrisitan Burial will be 10:00 a.m., Monday, July 18, 2011 at Holy Name Catholic Church with Father Ben Nguyen, celebrant. Interment will be 1:30, Monday at Ft. Scott National Cemetery under the direction of PenwellGabel FordWulfBruns Chapel. Visitation will be at the funeral home Sunday, 16 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 56 p.m. Rosary service will be 6 p.m., Sunday at PenwellGabel Funeral Home amp Crematory.