Robert Pope Kirkpatrick, 86, passed away peacefully on March 19, 2022, at his home in Fayetteville, NC with his three kids and two grand-dogs by his side. Robert is survived by his sons, Robert P. Kirkpatrick, III (Allison) and Scott Alan Kirkpatrick (Beth); daughter, Donna K. Malarkey (Martin). He is preceded in death by his wife, Margaret Timmerman Kirkpatrick. There will be a memorial service held in the chapel at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church in Fayetteville, NC on March 26, 2022, from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm.
He was born to Robert Pope Kirkpatrick and Louise Amelia Kirkpatrick in Asheville, NC, but he had many names throughout his life – Sarge, Tiger, Dad, Bob, Kirk, KP, Mr. Kirk, Captain Kirk to name a few. His father died when he was young, so Robert was an independent young man, working odd jobs like tarring roofs, and working in the pool hall, until he was introduced to the love his life – Margaret (the two moms set them up). By the time Robert joined the Army in 1955 he had proposed to Margaret many times, but it was during his trip stateside to attend his grandfather’s funeral that he proposed to her again. To his delight, this time she said yes. Before she could change her mind, he drove her to Spartanburg, SC in the middle of the night where they eloped. Shortly thereafter, he returned to Germany without her, but… as a young bride, she boarded an ocean-bound ship to join him, and their lives were never the same.
During his twenty plus years in the military Bob and Marge traveled to multiple military bases including three tours in Germany. They raised three children and touched the lives of many people. They grew to love traveling and enjoyed visiting new places, many times on the back of a motorcycle. The only time Bob and Marge were apart for an extended time was his two tours in Vietnam.
After retiring from the Army in 1975, Bob worked as a Bonanza Steak House manager, and then as a Standard Coffee salesman where he won many awards and trips before having to retire due to a severe car accident. Bob is a fighter and, after much rehab and love from his wife, they felt the urge to travel once again. Life is too short!! They spent many years of their retirement serving as volunteers at US state and national parks as well as Corps of Engineer campgrounds which gave them the opportunity to travel in their RV. Many happy memories were made with park rangers, other volunteers, and guests of the parks.
After the death of his wife in 2020, Bob had a dream of traveling once again. Unfortunately, his dream could not be realized due to the diagnosis of cancer. While he received treatment, he was determined to remain as independent as possible, so the family found ways for him to remain in his home where he could remain independent. It is amazing how many lives Bob touched in those last few months, particularly with his various caretakers and the staff at the cancer centers. He learned a lot through the years, and he loved to share what he learned from the school of hard knocks (he certainly knew how to make something out of nothing!). They all made a point of letting the family know how “much they learned from him” and how “he had changed their lives.” Whenever anyone asked him how he felt, he gave one of his two standard responses… “If I were any better, I couldn’t stand it” or “Fantastic!” Bob lived most of his life with a lot of pain and various challenges, but he loved to joke with anyone he met (he had a wonderful laugh and infectious smile). He said, “as long as I wake up, it is going to be a good day.” He is missed.
Memorials in his honor may be made to St. Jude Hospital or Snyder Memorial Baptist Church.
