Dr. James Richard "Jim" Kirkpatrick

Dad was born in 1942 in the midst of World War 2, in Rockford, Illinois. He grew up riding bikes with his friends, playing baseball, watching black and white tv (which was a new invention). He was a Boy Scout and gained a lifelong love of camping, the outdoors, and service to others. He loved fishing and duck hunting and learned to waterski in the many rivers and lakes of western Illinois. He was the smartest kid in his class who always had a passion for science. He won a national merit scholarship and was awarded a full ride to Washington University to study engineering. But he found out that engineering wasn’t for him, realizing his passion lay in healing. 

While in medical school at University of Illinois, he made the most important decision of his life, by falling in love with and marrying the lovely and wonderful Joan Watson who was in nursing school. Thus began a 56 year marriage that produced three children; Colleen, Robert, and Kevin. This in turn led to 11 grandchildren and bonus grandchildren. 

Upon finishing his residency he served with the Air Force for two years, stationed in Thailand during the Vietnam war, taking his young family with him. After Thailand he left the military and began his career as a General Surgeon. While in the service, while watching Billy Graham on TV, he pledged his life to Christ (my Mom having led the way some months earlier). This was a watershed moment for him as his faith would be what defined him for the rest of his life. His faith and his family. 

We were brought up on Fidalgo Island, Washington where Dad set up private practice. Dad was a family man through and through. He showed up to every baseball game, every ballet performance, every piano recital. He attended graduations, band and orchestra concerts. He helped me buy my first bass and my first guitar and inspired my life long pursuit of music. He got my brother Robert his first computer at a time no one had a computer which inspired his career as a programmer. He loved photography and got my sister her first camera which led to her career as a photographer. 

All us kids have such fond memories of camping with Dad. No one could make pancakes over a campfire like Dad—burned black on the outside and raw in the center. That being said he could grill a fresh-caught trout or salmon with the best of them. 

Later we would go to countless professional baseball, hockey, basketball games, and symphony concerts. We all caught his love of bird watching, hiking, and tree identification. He taught us how to ride a bike, throw a baseball, how to drive, how to change a tire, and how to balance a checkbook. He was that kind of a dad. 

His life took another turn when he discovered Orthodox Christianity. In this ancient expression of Christianity he found new comfort and spiritual depth and a new purpose for the remaining 15 years of his life. This spiritual depth stood him in good stead as his body weakened. He was damaged by exposure to agent orange that was used in the Vietnam war and developed heart disease and severe arthritis in his middle fifties and had to retire from surgery much earlier than he wanted. A lifelong student he was always reading medical journals and books on theology right up until his final illness. Anyone who met him knew he was always ready with a joke, a smile, a story, and to be anyone’s friend. He was a deeply thoughtful, considerate, and kind man, and everyone knew this about him right away and liked him immediately. 

He wasn’t perfect, he had his flaws, but he persevered. His life can be summed up by what St. Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:7 ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ‘ He did that. He kept the faith and at last he has finished his race. Now, as the saint goes on to say in verse 8, he has received his crown of glory. We love you and miss you and will keep your memory alive in our hearts 

Lord have mercy. Memory eternal.

Survived by: wife of 56 years, Joan Kirkpatrick; children, Colleen (Andy) Neel, Robert Kirkpatrick and Kevin (Virginia Robbins) Kirkpatrick; grandchildren, Arlo & Neel, Jamie, Maddie, Jackie & Ruby Kirkpatrick, Lucas, Eva, Grace, Faith & Belle Robbins.

Funeral services will be conducted 11:00 AM Saturday, March 8, 2025 at St. Ignatius Antiochian Christian Orthodox Church, Father Philip Begley, Father Stephen Rogers, Father Bob Sanford and Deacon Edward Martin officiating. Visitation with the family will be 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Friday evening at the church and 10:30 AM prior to the service on Saturday. Burial will follow the service at St. Ignatius Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Kevin Kirkpatrick, Robert Kirkpatrick, Andrew Neel, Arlo Neel, Callum Neel and Jamie Kirkpatrick. Memorials may be made to St. Ignatius Orthodox Church, 3535 St. Ignatius Lane, Franklin, TN 37064. WILLIAMSON MEMORIAL FUNERAL HOME, 615 794-2289 williamsonmemorial.com