Marie Estelle Kirkham 1930 - 2015

KIRKHAM, HIATT

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/13/2015 at 23:15:34

Sioux City Journal
28 September 2015

SIOUX CITY | Marie Estelle Kirkham, 85, of Park Rapids, Minn., formerly of Sioux City, died Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015, at Heritage Cottages in Park Rapids, where she had resided the past two years.

Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, 305 W. Fifth St., Park Rapids. Interment will be at a later date. Visitation will be 10 a.m. Thursday, prior to the services, at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Cease Family Funeral Home in Park Rapids. Friends may leave online condolences at ceasefuneral.com.

Marie was born to the late Angeline and J. Loren Hiatt on Sept. 8, 1930, in Sioux City. She attended Sioux City schools.

She married the late Douglas H. Kirkham on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25, 1948, in Sioux City. They had 53 wonderful years together living and raising their children in Fairmont and Nisswa, Minn., before moving to Bemidji, Minn. In 1990, they also began to spend winters at their home in North Port, Fla.

Marie was a homemaker and mother as well as a dedicated supporter of her husband, Douglas, in his business pursuits. She worked alongside him in their marina at Breezy Point and Brainerd Recreational Supply in Brainerd, Minn., traveled extensively with him to boat and travel shows across the United States, and helped host many events. She was his constant companion on their many hunting and fishing trips in the Midwest and Canada, spending many days in all kinds of weather by his side duck and goose hunting, walleye fishing on Gull Lake and many other area lakes, pheasant hunting in South Dakota, and pursuing antelope in Montana. Besides baking a terrific German chocolate cake, she excelled at cooking game and fish and was known far and wide for her crispy fried potatoes that accompanied her fresh fried fish dinners.

Marie was a member of San Pedro Catholic Church in North Port, Fla., and St. Philip’s Catholic Church in Bemidji, Minn., before moving to Park Rapids. She was a generous supporter of many charitable organizations. Marie loved to travel with Douglas and together they journeyed to Hawaii, Hong Kong, and Europe as well as across the U.S. and Canada.

Marie is survived by two children, Douglas Kirkham Jr. and wife, Lynda of Park Rapids, and Christine Woods and husband, James of Bloomington, Ind. She is also survived by six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Red River Valley Hospice, in care of Douglas Kirkham, 22007 Forest View Drive, Park Rapids, MN 56470