A funeral service for Rickey Joe "R.J." Kuykendall, 70, of Marshall, Texas will be held at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, December 4, 2022, in the Chapel of Downs Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Smyrna Cemetery in Harleton, Texas. A visitation for family and friends will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Saturday, December 3, 2022, at the funeral home.

R.J. was born on October 31, 1952, in Houston, Texas to Claude F. Kuykendall and Joy Mae Weaver Kuykendall and passed away on November 23, 2022, in Longview, Texas.

He was a member of Grange Hall Methodist Church and was employed at Beall's Department Store for 39 years before retirement.

He is preceded in death by his father, Claude Kuykendall and brother, Jimmy Kuykendall.

He is survived by his mother, Joy Mae Kuykendall; wife, Karen Ann Kuykendall; children, Eric Kuykendall and wife, Taryn Surovik and Lance Kuykendall and wife, Giselle; brothers, Rockey Kuykendall and Mickey Kuykendall and wife, Cathryn; sisters, Joyce Cobb and husband, Rickey and Rosaland Ford; grandchildren, Jace Surovik, Leila Harrison and Nathan Harrison along with a number of nieces, nephews and other family and friends.