Donald Earl Kirk

Sept. 28, 1954 - Oct. 31, 2016

A Celebration of Life will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday Nov. 11 in the Garden of Valor at Lakewood Memorial Park for retired Air Force Msgt. Donald Earl Kirk, of Ceres.

He died Oct. 31, 2016.

Born Sept. 28, 1954, Donald was born in Independence, Missouri to Von and Betty Jo Kirk. Don enlisted in the Air Force in October 1972 and served all over the United States and the world. He met Ssgt Patricia McCloskey at Beale Air Force Base in California in 1985. They were married in 1987 and enjoyed 29 years of marriage. Don retired from the Air Force in 1992, moved his family to California and started working for the government again. He retired a second time in 2014. Don was very proud of his service to his county.

He loved sports of all kinds especially Kansas City Chiefs football team and Kansas City Royals baseball team. He enjoyed playing Santa Claus and sometimes he looked the part.

Don is survived by his wife, Patricia; his three children, Donald Kirk II, Jennifer Kirk-Gonsalves (David) and Melissa Kirk; his mother, Betty Jo Kirk; a brother; two sisters; and three grandsons, one great grandson and many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, father-in-law, two beloved sisters, one brother-in-law, two great nephews, and many aunts, uncles, cousin.

The family asks that you remember Don healthy and strong, a little bit ornery with a twinkle in his eye. He was stubborn as a Missouri mule, hard worker, honest and generous. The family wishes to thank all the doctors, nurses and staff at the VA Hospital in Palo Alto for their professional care of Don.

Throughout his illness Don wanted us to remember that "Life goes on."

-Ceres (Calif.) Courier
Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016