Lovie Leola Kirkpatrick was born February 14, 1937, to Lula Mae Ponder and Reverend John L. Kirkpatrick (who both preceded her in death) in Haynesville, Louisiana. Leola moved to Argo, Illinois, where she met and married the love of her life, Sidney Edward Stokes (who preceded her in death). From this union seven children were born. Leola accepted Christ early in her life and reaffirmed her faith in 1994 at the Chicago Church of Christ Midpoint Ministry. Throughout her life Leola held several jobs but she always said the one job she would do over again was raising her children and grandchildren, whom she loved with all her heart. Leola was a wife, a mother, a cook, bowler, and lover of shopping. If you've ever been to her house, you know her favorite color was blue. She always said that when she left this earth, no matter what was said about her to make sure it was expressed how much she loves the Lord.

Leola leaves six children: Rosemary Henry, Deacon Dr. Michael Stokes (Veronica Stokes), Sylvia Melendez (who preceded her in death), Kushita Stokes (Wayne Thompson), Sidney Stokes (Donna Stokes), Theresa Stokes, and Denise Kinney (Jim Kinney). She leaves behind one brother, Robert Lee Kirkpatrick and twelve grandchildren: Julius Stokes (Edna Stokes), Richard Stokes (Brittney Stokes), Gregory Curry, Tyrone Ford (Julie Ford), Tiffany Marshall (Tre Marshall), Rebecca Stokes, Sidney Stokes III, Brandon Stokes, Eric Stokes (Mica Stokes), Shannon Stokes, Nichole Stokes, and Nicholas Stokes, a host of great-grandkids, nieces and nephews, and her best friend of over 50 years, Kathy Cooper, all of whom she loved dearly.