Raymond Kirk

Raymond Jr Kirk was born August 19, 1930 in rural Clarke County Iowa to John and Wilma McChesney Kirk. He went home to the Lord May 20, 2012 at Lucas County Health Center after a brief illness. Ray grew up on the farm, the oldest of eight children. He graduated From Truro High School in 1949. In high school, lunch was often going to the pool hall, buying a bag of peanuts, putting them in a bottle of pop and shooting a game of pool. Ray joined the Navy December 26, 1950, where he served as a boilerman on the USS Sphinx. He served during the Korean Conflict in the area of Japan. He was released October 24, 1954, after 3 years 9 months and 25 days of service. Ray was a farmer. After leaving the Navy, he farmed with his dad in Madison County until 1958. In 1958 he married Joyce Vriezelaar in Kellogg, Iowa and they lived in Lorimor for a while. They then farmed in Story County, where daughter Kristen was born in 1960 and later in Marion County and finally Lucas County. To supplement his farm income he took a job as a Safety and Security Officer at Hy-Vee Distribution Center in Chariton, retiring in 1995 after 15 years. In 1999 Ray and Joyce moved from the farm to Chariton. Despite health issues that kept Ray wheelchair bound for much of his retirement years, he kept his great sense of humor. He didn't know a stranger, and was always willing to lend a helping hand. He was a good and caring friend, as well as a great husband, brother, father, uncle and grandfather. Ray was preceeded in death by his wife Joyce, his parents John and Wilma Kirk, and his brothers Ben, Max and Ronnie. Left to mourn his passing are daughter Kristen (Bill) Messamer of Russell, granddaughters Candace (Brian) Hatch of Knoxville, and Nicole Messamer of Minot, North Dakota ; great grandsons Mason and Jaxson Hatch of Knoxville, brother Larry(Mildred) Kirk of Lorimor, sisters Helen Powers of Winterset, Pat (David) Grandfield of Lorimor and Barb (Bill) Waller of Oskaloosa, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.