April 23, 2014

Remembering Paul E. Kilgore

Paul E. Kilgore, 80, a former director of
education for the Atlantic Union Conference, died
on January 15, 2014, in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

[Photo: AUC]Born June 2, 1933, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kilgore graduated from Rochester Adventist
Elementary School, then Mt. Vernon Academy. He spent one year at
Emmanuel Missionary College (now Andrews University) and in
1957 graduated from Southern Missionary College (now Southern
Adventist University) in Collegedale, Tennessee. In his senior year
he served as the first dean of boys at Collegedale Academy. He earned
a master’s degree from Andrews University in Berrien
Springs, Michigan, in 1964.

Kilgore began his ministry in 1957 as dean of boys at Union
Springs Academy in New York. He held other educational posts as principal
of Dallas Junior Academy in Dallas, Texas, and Chisolm Trail Academy
in Keene, Texas, and as superintendent of schools for the Texas
Conference (1968-1977) and the Upper Columbia Conference in
Washington state (1977-1979).

His journey eventually led him to the Atlantic Union
Conference in South Lancaster, Massachusetts, where he served as
director of education from 1979 until his retirement in December
2000, leaving the legacy of having been the longest-serving union director
of education.

He retired and moved with his family to Cleveland, Tennessee,
where he remained active and served on the Bowman Hills school and
church boards. He enjoyed coin-collecting, reading, and he loved
singing and music.

Kilgore is survived by his wife of 58 years, Joan Hedgepeth
Kilgore of Cleveland, Tenn.; children, Dixie Lee Lysinger (Walt) of
Yuba City, Calif.; Reggie Paul Kilgore (Vicki) of Sand Mountain,
Ala.; and Penny Christine Kennedy (Howard) of Cleveland, Tenn.; one
grandchild, Carrie Dunks (Eric) of Oregon City, Ore.; eight
step-grandchildren; and 10 step-great-grandchildren.

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