LILLA MAE KICKLIGHTER

Lilla Mae Kicklighter 89, died Thursday, June 8, 2006 at Savannah Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. She was a native of Bulloch County and a longtime resident of Savannah. Mrs. Kicklighter was a member of Cresthill Baptist Church In 1951, Mrs. Lilla Mae Kicklighter, along with five other parents, opened the first school for children with mental retardation in Forsythe Park in Savannah. The school was opened in response to her son’s question “Mother, why can’t I go to school?” In 1957 the Chatham County Commission deeded 13 acres of land on the “Brown Farm” for the construction of an official school building. The Savannah Jaycees, Sertoma Club and the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority sponsored the construction of the three buildings on the new site. A five year Vocational Rehabilitation grant was secured by Mrs. Kicklighter to start the first Occupational Training Center for adults in Georgia, the center opened in 1963. Mrs. Kicklighter knew that children with mental retardation could be helped to live happy, fruitful, quality lives. She also knew they could be educated and trained to work like every one else. Through her efforts and those associated with her, such programs as scholarship funds for teachers, special classes and learning programs were established in the community. Her legacy lives on in the form of a learning center for children with any developmental disability as well as typically developing children through the Kicklighter Resource Center Inc. The adult program consists of apartment complexes and group homes established so people with developmental disabilities could live independently as well as semi independently. When Mrs. Kicklighter retired she continued to be a valuable advisor to the organization and continued to be a strong and visible advocate for people with any and all disabilities.
Surviving are her sons, Lehmon Randall Kicklighter of Dallas, Georgia and Robert Matthew Kicklighter of Savannah, her sister, Cleatus Conaway of Reidsville, Georgia, grandchildren, Charles Kicklighter, Pam Kicklighter , two great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be Friday, June 9, 2006 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Fox and Weeks Funeral Directors Hodgson Chapel.

Funeral Services will be Saturday, June 10, 2006 at 2 p.m. at Fox and Weeks Funeral Directors Hodgson Chapel with burial in Hillcrest Abbey Memorial Park.

Remembrances to the Lilla Mae Kicklighter Scholarship Fund to help train and educate teachers to educate retarded persons, P.O. Box 13625 Savannah, Georgia 31406

FOX AND WEEKS FUNERAL DIRECTORS HODGSON CHAPEL