Dwight Arthur Childress

Dwight Arthur Childress was born on September 7, 1964 in Chicago, IL, to James and Sena Childress. He was the fifth of six siblings. In 1970, at the age of six, his family moved from Chicago’s inner city to suburban Dolton, IL.  Dwight was active in the community he played baseball and joined cub scouts and was confirmed as a united methodist at Faith United Methodist Church in Dolton at the age of 13. Dwight attended Thornridge High School in Dolton and was a member of the National Honor Society, and participated on the varsity baseball and football teams, wrestled, played the saxophone in the marching band and jazz ensemble, and was an award-winning wood craftsman.  Upon graduation he attended the Illinois Institute of Technology where he studied Electrical Engineering.

Upon completion of his studies, he continued to live and work in Chicago where he became a Journeyman of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), Local 2 of Chicago.  He traveled extensively throughout the world with various theater companies. Notably, he worked on the productions of “The Lion King”, “Showboat”, “The Pirate Queen”, “Dr Doolittle”, and “The Color Purple”.  He traded the cold of Chicago for the warmth of Hawaii where he relocated in 2012.  While on the island of Maui he worked at Avis Rental Car Company, Monsanto, Maui Electric (a member of IBEW 1186) and Schwager Davis, Inc.

Dwight made a mean mac and cheese and baked dozens and dozens of delicious cookies earning him the title of “Cookie Man”. Dwight made numerous friends and acquaintances across the nation. He was known for his smile, sense of humor, gregarious personality, infectious laugh and his magnanimous generosity.

Dwight was preceded in death by his father, James Childress. He is survived by his loving mother Sena Childress (Mableton, GA) and his five siblings: Susie (Jimmy) Little (Covington, GA), Deborah (David) Shipley (Mableton, GA), Christopher (Linda) Childress (South Holland, IL), Sharon Clermont (Georgetown, TX), and Hollice Childress (Schaumburg, IL).   He was the proud uncle of eight nieces and three nephews: Jimmy II, Vannessa, Danielle, Nicole, Dianne, Alesia, Martin, Donna, James II, Iyesha, and Siarra. He was the great-uncle of Lillian, Sydney, Kassidee, Jimmy III, Kiyan, Princeton, and JaNiyah.

God called Dwight home just after 5:00am on the morning of Thursday May 1, 2025, with his friend Angela by his side. He will remain forever embedded in our hearts.

A memorial service will be held, Sunday, May 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM at Smits Funeral Home, 649 East 162nd Street, South Holland, IL 60473. (The funeral service will be live streamed from our Facebook  page at https://www.facebook.com/SmitsFH) . Dwight's final resting place will be at Holy Cross Cemetery in Calumet City, IL in close proximity to his dad.

In lieu of flowers we ask that you please donate to 'Habitat for Humanity' https://www.habitat.org/donate/?link=628 or a charity of your choice in Dwight's name.