Kirkland, Donald Benson, 1920-2006

KIRKLAND, HEMM, ROGERS, WATSON

Posted By: Jane Adams (email)
Date: 1/10/2007 at 21:24:53

Fairfield Ledger
Tues., Oct. 10, 2006, p. 8.

Donald Benson KIRKLAND, 86, of 1 Pennsylvania Place, recently of Fairfield, died Saturday, October 7, 2006 at Hospice House in Ottumwa after a short illness.

He was born May 18, 1920 in Ottumwa to Edwin R. and Nellie Bateman KIRKLAND. He graduated from Ottumwa High School in 1938 and married Mary Roeine HEMM, July 12, 1941 at the Christian Church parsonage in Lebanon, MO. She survives.

They have one daughter, Donnie Sue (Stuart) ROGERS of Tulsa, OK; two grandsons, Kirk (Julia) WATSON of Cedar Rapids and Jeff (Margaret) WATSON of Seguin, TX and five great-grandchildren. Two brothers, Lloyd and Ralph KIRKLAND preceded him in death. He was a member of the First Christian Church in Ottumwa, Arkansas City, KS and Fairfield.

Don worked as a welder and pipe fitter at John Morrell & Co. in Ottumwa and retired from their plant in Arkansas City, completing 42 years of service. He was a man of integrity who earned the respect of his coworkers and friends.

During World War II, he served in the China-Burma-India Theater with the Army Engineers. He helped construct the first pipe line from India, over the Himalayan Mountains, into China in arduous, dangerous conditions.

His hobbies were forest conservation, boating and fishing. An avid nature lover, he planted hundreds of seedlings on this home place near Fairfield. He was an amateur radio operator (WAØKFY) for over 50 years. Also, he enjoyed music, dancing and spending time with his great-grandchildren, Abby and Kaylee WATSON of Cedar Rapids and Brooke, Victoria and Austin WATSON of Seguin, TX.

As requested by Don, there will be no formal memorial service. Friends and family are invited to visitation and graveside services. Visitation will be held on Saturday, October 14, 2006 from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. at the Reece Funeral Home, 607 E. Second St., Ottumwa. Following visitation, his cremated remains will be interred at a graveside service in Shaul Cemetery at 3:30 p.m. Rev. Bill Kanne of First Christian Church will officiate, and Walter B. Schafer Post #775 of Veterans of Foreign Wars and O.B. Nelson Post #3 of the American Legion will conduct military rites.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice House, 312 E. Alta Vista, Ottumwa 52501 or to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, PO Box 27106, NY, NY 10087-7106, earmarked for lung cancer research.
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Printed with permission of the Fairfield Ledger.
This data transcribed for genealogical purposes; I am not related to the subject.