Candace "Candy" Cebula Kitchens

February 1, 1949 - January 11, 2020

PERRY – Candace “Candy” Cebula Kitchens, 70, passed away on Saturday, January 11, 2020, after bravely enduring an extended battle with cancer. Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, January 14, 2020, at Perry United Methodist Church, with the visitation beginning at 9:30 a.m. and the funeral service beginning at 11:00 a.m. Entombment will be in the Dogwood Mausoleum at Perry Memorial Gardens immediately following the service. Pallbearers for the service will be Joe Posey, Duke Lane Jr, Elwood Waites, Jimmy Walker, David Shell, and Malcolm Giles. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests memorial contributions to Perry United Methodist Church Building Fund, P. O. Box 73, Perry, GA 31069 or United for a CURE, 200 Ashford Center North, Suite 250, Atlanta, GA 30338. Candy was born on February 1, 1949, in Ware, Massachusetts, to the late Alice Cebula of Perry. She moved to Dublin at an early age and was a 1967 graduate of Dublin High School. She graduated from Georgia College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Education from Georgia Southwestern College. Candy was a well-loved teacher in Richmond County School System, Dublin City Schools, The Westfield School, and Peach County School System, touching the lives of thousands of students through the years, sometimes even teaching the “second generation” students. She retired from Byron Middle School after having taught students for over thirty years. Candy was a member of Perry United Methodist Church. She was an avid fan of University of Georgia Sports, especially football and basketball. She spent lots of time outdoors gardening taking care of her precious day lilies and the various plants and flowers that she would plant and nurture through the years. Vacationing at the beach, taking special trips with her family, and talking on the phone with her friends were some of her favorite things to do. It was no secret to anyone who knew her, Christmas was her favorite time of year, and she treasured the time she spent with the people she loved most, her family and friends. Candy’s passion in life had become being a grandmother. Although she only had three grandchildren, she made each one feel special; they all know how much their “Mimi” loved them. Left to cherish the memories they made with Candy are her loving and devoted husband of forty-six years, Billy Ray Kitchens of Perry; her sons, Billy Kitchens (Megan) of Hendersonville, NC, and Kory Kitchens of Charleston, SC; her grandsons, Ray Kitchens, Kean Kitchens, and Kannon Kitchens; her sister, Vickie Kashmiry (Moe) of Jacksonville, FL; her sister-in-law, Jackie Denney of Dublin; her nieces, Elise Kashmiry, Katie Kashmiry, and Ali Kashmiry; her godchild, Mandi Posey Paris; and her beloved caregiver, Diana Rockamore. Several other extended family members also survive. Condolences for the family may be left in the online guestbook at www.watsonhunt.com. Watson-Hunt Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.