Rose Pickens Kirkpatrick's Obituary
Rose Kirkpatrick
Rose Kirkpatrick passed away Wednesday, January 14, 2009 at her home in Longview, Texas. Memorial services will be held on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 2:00 P.M. at Trinity Episcopal Church of Longview with Reverend Kevin Wittmayer and The Very Reverend Dr. Michael Carter Macey officiating. Visitation will follow in Parish Hall. A private burial will be held on a later date at the family's ranch.
Rose Shipton Pickens Kirkpatrick was born on August 22, 1929 in Little Rock Arkansas to Eudora Rose Shipton Pickens and Paul Jackson Pickens. A fourth generation Arkansan, she was raised in Little Rock, graduated from Little Rock High School and furthered her education at Ogontz Junior College now a part of Pennsylvania State University in Philadelphia. She married Kenneth L. Kirkpatrick of Fort Smith, Arkansas on September 6, 1952 in Little Rock and they moved to Longview in 1963 after becoming owners of R&K Distributors Inc., a distributor of Anheuser-Busch products in the East Texas area.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth, her mother, Eudora, her father, Jack, and her stepmother, Charlotte Stuart Pickens.
She is survived by her daughters, Gail Elizabeth Pickens Kirkpatrick Martin and husband John Carmichael Martin III, Rose Kimberly Kirkpatrick, Victoria Shipton Kirkpatrick and husband Bruce Bridges all of Longview; her grandchildren Victoria Kimberly Martin Bonnen and husband Dennis Bonnen of Angleton, Texas, Jaclyn Gail Pickens Martin Abernathy and husband Clay Abernathy, John Kenneth Martin, Alexandra Rose Cox, and Ryan Kirkpatrick Cox all of Longview and Julia Shipton Cook of San Francisco, California; and her great grandchildren David Jackson Carmichael Bonnen and Gregory James Bonnen of Angleton and Jack Madison Abernathy of Longview. Her sister-in-law Gail Kirkpatrick Tompkins of Little Rock, Arkansas, and brother-in-law Frederick Calhoun Kirkpatrick, Jr. of Forth Smith, Arkansas also survive her.
Rose's life centered on service to her community. Her mother was an active member of the Junior League of Little Rock and a role model to her daughter. At the age of 12, you could find Rose rolling balls of yarn that would eventually be knitted into bags for the American soldiers during WW II. She was an active member of the Junior Leagues of Little Rock, Lubbock, and Dallas, and the Service League of Longview, which later became the Junior League. Rose was also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Rose devoted countless hours to the betterment of all aspects of the community including wellness, education, art and culture, and care for the less fortunate. Her generosity and support is evident throughout the community as she was a loyal supporter of Good Shepherd Medical Center, Trinity Episcopal Church, Trinity School of Texas, Gregg County Historical Museum, Longview Museum of Fine Arts, Humane Society of Gregg County, Longview Community Theatre, and Crisman School.
For her tireless efforts, she received several accolades including the East Texas Heritage Award, Honoree of the Year by the American Heart Association, and Honorary Chairman of the Cattle Baron's Ball of the American Cancer Society.
Speaking to her motivation for being an active volunteer, Rose once said, "the personal joy of community service comes from the knowledge that giving back to one's city will in some way provide an investment for the future for family and friends and will extend to the next generation and beyond."
In the spirit of that statement, the family asks that in lieu of flowers memorials be made to Trinity School of Texas, 215 Teague Street, Longview, Texas, 75601, Trinity Episcopal Church, 906 Padon Street, Longview, Texas 75601, or Texas Home Healthcare Hospice, 3220 N. 4th Street, Longview, Texas 75605.
The family wishes to express their deepest gratitude to all of Rose's faithful friends, extended family and her loving and tireless caregivers who loved our Mother, prayed for her and cared for her when she could not care for herself. May God bless each and every one of you.
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