Philomena 'Phil' Kittrell's Obituary
Philomena “Phil” Kittrell, age 95, passed away Saturday, May 26, 2018 in Fayetteville, Arkansas at Butterfield Trail Village. She was born December 15, 1922 to John and Angelina Tursi of Sommerton, Pennsylvania. She was the fourth of six siblings, having one brother and 4 sisters, all now deceased.
Philomena graduated from Little Flower Catholic High School in 1941 before attending St. Mary’s Hospital of Nursing in Philadelphia. Once she became a registered nurse in 1944, she enlisted in the U.S. Army. While serving in World War II, she was stationed in France where she met her husband, Carl H. Kittrell of Gregory, Arkansas who was serving in the Quarter Master Corps of the U.S. Army. After a very short dating period, they married on March 31, 1946.
They were married for 69 eventful years. Re-enlisting in the Army after WWII, they began their military life, traveling and stationed to many parts of the continental U.S. They had tours of duty in Germany and Okinawa, living in Hawaii while Carl was in Viet Nam. When he retired in 1972, they permanently moved to Little Rock, Arkansas. Military life was over. Carl went on to receive his Accounting degree and Phil enrolled in a city sponsored Continuing Education Program for computer training. She went to work at Little Rock City Hall in the Accounting Department.
They relocated to Fayetteville, Arkansas in 1996 to be closer to family, especially grandchildren. She continued to be busy in her household, putting out wonderful meals for family and friends, sewing countless dresses and shirts and serging blankets by the score. At Christmas time, she would bake up a storm and fill the cookie jars with her treats. She took classes in Ikebana flower arranging, learned to hand sew intricate Japanese dolls and became an excellent Chinese cook while taking a cooking class in that cuisine. She and Carl square danced well into their mid 70s, taking off across the country for any dance festival they wanted to attend. They became fervent Arkansas Razorback Baseball fans and attended as many games as they could, weather permitting. They had a wonderful life together.
She is survived by her two daughters, Suzanne Kittrell and Adele Kittrell Atha, both of Fayetteville, Arkansas, her son, Carl John Kittrell of Benicia, California. There are six grandchildren: Adelia Kittrell-Bordon and Adam Kittrell, both of Little Rock, Arkansas, Kristin Atha Cavette and Jenna Atha, both of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Allison Atha Huskey of Springdale, Arkansas and Cassie Helms Clark of Ft. Collins, Colorado. She has three great grandchildren: Evangeline Kittrell Bordon and Mina Kittrell Bordon of Little Rock and Anna Katherine Huskey of Springdale, Arkansas. Philomena was pre-deceased by her husband, Carl H. Kittrell, and two daughters Anne Elizabeth Kittrell and Mary Kittrell Helms.
The Funeral Mass will be at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas at 10 am on Friday, June 1st. The Rosary will be said prior to the Mass.
After the Mass, burial services with Military Honors will be held at 12 noon, June 1, 2018 at the National Cemetery in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the University of Arkansas Foundation, with the memo line to read “The Anne Kittrell Memorial Scholarship Fund” and mailed to the U of A, 300 UNHS, 1 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701.
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