CUMBERLAND — William B. “Kirk” Kirkpatrick, 86, died Sept. 30 at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House, after a four-year battle with cancer.

Born on Feb. 17, 1924, in Newton Highlands, Mass., he was a son of Donald Kirkpatrick and Marjorie Bradford Kirkpatrick, who died in childbirth.

He and his older brother Donald were raised by their aunt Alice L. Bradford in Portland, where he attended public schools.

After attending one year at Williams College, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving from 1943 until being honorably discharged in 1945.

During his service in the Army Air Force, he was stationed in England, where he flew 33 combat missions over Germany, earning membership in the “Lucky Bastards Club” and the Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters.

After the war, he attended Bowdoin College, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1948.  

In 1951 he married Priscilla P. Gay of Cape Elizabeth and had three children, Martha, Alice and Timothy.

From 1948 to 1976 he was employed by the Canal National Bank, beginning as a bank teller and working his way up to executive vice president, senior lending officer, and director of the bank, Holding Co. and Mortgage Co.

In 1974 he married Sally Means Ives and became a stepfather to her three children, Rollin, Sally and Sydney.

From 1976 until his retirement in 1989, he served as senior vice president, senior commercial loan officer at Maine National Bank.
        
He considered banking a noble profession and was proud of the role he played in helping new businesses become successful enterprises.

In addition to his professional career, he served on numerous community and nonprofit boards as an active member and officer, including the Greater Portland Public Development Commission, Greater Portland Credit Bureau, Portland Symphony Orchestra Trustees, Waynflete School Trustees and The Cumberland Club.

Skiing and grand opera were two of his greatest joys, and he loved spending weekends at his ski chalet at Sugarloaf, “Auntie’s Acres,” which he built in 1967.  He was a proud member of Sugarloaf’s 70+ ski club, skiing into his early 80s.

Tennis, golf, bridge, boating in Casco Bay and traveling abroad were also favorite past-times.  

Most of all, he loved spending time with his family, and will be remembered for his sense of humor and the way he found joy in daily life.

The family expresses deep gratitude for the wonderful care he received from the health providers of the Maine Center for Cancer Medicine, the Gosnell House and Hospice of Southern Maine.

He was predeceased by his son Timothy, brother Donald  B. “Tam” Kirkpatrick, half-brother George S. Kirkpatrick, and stepbrother, Robert S. Patton.

He is survived by his loving wife of 36 years, Sally Means Kirkpatrick; two daughters, The Rev. Martha G. Kirkpatrick of Lincolnville, and Alice B. Kirkpatrick and her husband Richard Connelly of Pownal; three stepchildren, H. Rollin Ives and his wife Lynda of Sacramento, Calif., Sally I. Decatur and her husband Kenneth of South Portland, and Sydney Ives and her husband Samuel Merrill of Cumberland Foreside; eight stepgrandchildren; four step great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Dorothy Kirkpatrick; several nieces and nephews; and the family of Bonnie Bean and Tim of Lincoln.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, Oct. 16, at 11 a.m. at the State Street Church, 159 State St., Portland, with a reception following at the Portland Country Club in Falmouth.  

Memorial donations may be sent to Hospice of Southern Maine, 180 U.S. Route 1, Scarborough, ME 04074 or to State Street Church, 159 State St., Portland, ME 04101.

Please visit jonesrichandhutchins.com for additional information or to sign the guestbook.

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