Dr. William Albert Kirksey, Jr.

On January 11, 2006 Dr. William Albert Kirksey, Jr. of Morganton, N.C., died at the age of 85 after a period of declining health. He, the son of the late Dr. William Albert Kirksey, Sr. and Kate Horner Kirksey, was born on December 17, 1920 in St. Louis, MO. where his father was attending medical school.

Dr. Kirksey grew up in Fayetteville, N.C., graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Washington University Medical School in St. Louis in 1944. After serving time in the military as an army doctor, he moved to Morganton in 1947 where he established a family medical practice and was affectionately known as "Dr. Bill’. For many years he served as school physician for the N.C. School for the Deaf. In 1987 he retired after forty-two years of service to the community.

In addition to his medical practice, Dr. Bill was widely known as a man of many interests and as a life-long learner. He was an avid reader, tennis player, golfer, hiker, carpenter, gardener, photographer, jokester and traveler. He had a profound love and appreciation for all of God’s creation and was an expert on plants and animals, most especially birds. He openly and enthusiastically shared his knowledge and he mentored many.

Dr. Kirksey was preceded in death by his son Robert Gresham Kirksey. He is loved, cherished and survived by: his sister Georgia Kirksey Pinkston of Ft. Myers, FL, by his daughter Marie Kirksey Riggs and husband David Riggs of Raleigh, N.C., their children Ashley Riggs, Kelly Sandberg, and Gresham Riggs, by his son William Albert Kirksey, III and wife Marcy of Midland , MI, by his daughter Kate Kirksey Johnson and husband Joe Johnson of Morganton, their children Michael Johnson and Laura Johnson, by his great grandchildren Aidan Johnson and Conner Sandberg , by his best friend and companion Kathleen Michelis, and by his former wife Barbara Ostenkamp Underwood of Asheville.

A celebration of life for Dr. Kirksey will be held at Grace Episcopal Church in Morganton, Saturday, January 14, 2006 at 2: pm with Rev. Bruce Walker and Mr. David Riggs officiating. The family will receive friends following the service. A graveside service will be Saturday, January 14, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. at Forest Hill Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials for bird-watching benches on the Catawba River Greenway may be sent to Morganton Parks and Recreation, P.O. Box 3448, Morganton, N.C. 28680. Sossoman Funeral Home is assisting the family.