We would like to nominate Joe and Carole Kilpatrick as The Tucker Citizen(s) of the month! We have known and worked closely with them since 2003. We met them with the reopening of the Drayton Woods Recreation Club.
Joe and Carole moved to the Tucker Community in the early 1970s from Decatur into the newly built Drayton Woods subdivision. They liked the area so much that in 1996 they moved to another home in the subdivision where they still reside. Their home has a large den addition that hosts family get togethers. Joe and Carole graciously allow it to be used as a meeting venue for community events. For example, meeting to discuss incorporation of the Tucker area into a city, DWRC Board and Club Membership Meetings, Neighborhood Watch Meetings, a neighborhood ladies party every December, etc.
They raised their two sons Joe, Jr. and Jeff while Joe opened a CPA firm and Carole worked as a secretary for the principal at Fernbank Elementary School. Joe, Jr., Jeff, and their families also reside in the Tucker area and are involved in the community.
Since moving to Tucker, the Kilpatricks have been very involved with the First United Methodist Church of Tucker. Joe serves on many committees and is very involved in Methodist Men’s Ministries, including some in Africa, and has served as a delegate to the General Conference of the Methodist Church for many years. Carole volunteered at the Methodist Children’s Thrift Store until it closed, worked with other ladies at church making pillows for women with breast cancer and is involved in other church activities including a Ladies Bible Study. During COVID, Joe and Carole opened their home to host their Sunday School Class in the backyard so the class could still meet while ensuring that proper distance was maintained.
They were involved with the Drayton Woods Recreation Club (DWRC) from the time they moved into Drayton Woods subdivision until it closed in 1991. Carole was a stay-at-home Mom during the summer, and this allowed both of their boys to enjoy the pool and participate on the swim team among other activities. Joe served as the Club Treasurer for many years and continued to do so even while DWRC was closed. In 2003 many neighbors joined together to reopen DWRC. Joe and Carole were instrumental in helping the club secure a loan to cover the cost of repairing the pool and playground. Carole always served as Co-Treasurer because Joe traveled a good bit and as a CPA was especially busy during tax season. Their involvement with DWRC and the Idlewood area continues today.
Retirement has not slowed these two down. Joe works out in a local gym and continues his work with the Methodist Church. He still handles some of his CPA clients who refuse to let him retire. He was appointed to the Tucker Downtown Development Authority and has served as Chairman.
Joe and Carole have been primarily responsible for maintaining the entrance to Drayton Woods subdivision for the last twenty plus years. One reason for this is Carole’s desire for the neighborhood to look good. For many years she was involved with the Drayton Woods Garden Club. Beautification also ties in with Carole’s retirement because after she retired and started walking with some of our neighborhood ladies, she recruited them to bring along plastic grocery bags to pick up trash. It’s a tradition that continues today. For this reason, we have a lovely, clean neighborhood.
We very much appreciate their community involvement and service to Tucker and are proud to call Joe and Carole Kilpatrick our friends and neighbors!
Submitted by Jan Mixon and Jenny Emrich
