John K. "Jack" Kirkland

John Kenneth "Jack" Kirkland, Jr., 87, of Marysville, KS, died December 22, 2022, at Country Place Senior Living in Marysville. Visitation was Tuesday, December 27, from 1 to 9 p.m. at Kinsley Mortuary in Marysville. The family received friends from 5 to 7 p.m. A funeral service was held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 28, at St. Gregory's Catholic Church in Marysville. Father Quentin Schmitz officiated. The musicians were Monica Anderson and Veronica Olmsted. Music included "Be Not Afraid", "The Lord is My Shepherd", "Prayer of St. Francis", "On Eagles Wings", "Song of Farewell" and "Lead Me Lord." The pallbearers were Joe Funke, Cliff Stewart, Kenny Waterman, Larry Shum, Paul Winkler and James “Albert” Esslinger. The honorary pallbearers were Jennifer Centlivre, Jacob Kirkland, Nathan Kirkland, Shelby Gansemer, Caleb Gansemer, Megan Kirkland and Benjamin Kirkland. Burial was in St. Gregory's Catholic Cemetery. Jack was born April 6, 1935, in a dust storm at Minneapolis, KS, son of John Kenneth and Ethel P. (Coyle) Kirkland, Sr. In 1953, he graduated from Minneapolis High School and in 1958 he received a B.S. in Agronomy from Kansas State University. On January 19, 1957, he married Samileen “Sammy” Alice Hamilton. To this union four children were born. Jack worked for the USDA Soil Conservation Service. They lived in Ottawa, Phillipsburg and Sharon Springs until 1967, when they moved to Marysville and Jack worked in the Marshall County office. In 1982, Jack and Sammy moved near Hanover, and he worked in the Washington County office until retiring in 1992, after 34 years of service. He enjoyed watching his children and grandchildren in their activities. He also enjoyed reading, gardening, collecting and fixing pottery, watching Kansas State University and Kansas City Royals, and Saturday nights family pizza. Jack was a leader, mentor and very influential in restructuring people’s lives in Marshall and surrounding counties. His life was an example of how to live the twelve-step program. He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Judy Reh and Mary Pat Fischer; and brother-in-law, John Reh. Survivors include his wife, Sammy; four children, Kevin (Janet) Kirkland, Marysville, Mike Kirkland, Winfield, KS, John T. “Tom” (Dana) Kirkland, Marysville, and Mikala (Patrick) Gansemer, Bellevue, NE; two brothers-in-law, Jerry (Sharon) Hamilton and Brad Hamilton; seven grandchildren, Jennifer (Brock) Centlivre, Jacob (Tristan) Kirkland, Nathan (Elizabeth) Kirkland, Shelby Gansemer, Caleb Gansemer, Megan Kirkland and Benjamin Kirkland; and five great-grandchildren, Harper and Hudson Centlivre, Brooklyn and Colt Kirkland, and Jaxson Kirkland. A memorial fund has been established and will be designated at a later date. Contributions may be sent in care of Kinsley Mortuary. Funeral for Jack Kirkland To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John K. "Jack" Kirkland, please visit our flower store.