Obituary of Eleanor J. Kirk

Eleanor was the youngest of three daughters born to an Irish Catholic family in 1930 during the great depression.  She passed away peacefully on February 18, 2023 at the age of 92.  Eleanor had a loving, close-knit family. Her great grandfather was an immigrant that fought for the Union during the Civil War who lost an arm at the battle of Williamsburg but went back in the military as a volunteer after groundbreaking surgery. Who later became one of the first officers in the Freedman’s Bureau in New Orleans. Protectors of Native Americans and freed slaves. Much of that bravery and sense of justice must gave been genetically passed on because Eleanor inherited both traits.

She took her commercial high school diploma  and eventually became the office manager for The Mearl Corporation, manufacturers of Synthetic Pearl Essence.

She married John Kirk in 1949, and they had one daughter, Ellen. Eleanor lost John in 1970 just before her 40th birthday.

She became the matriarch of her family.  Almost everyone she had is gone.

She was a successful, popular businesswoman with a marvelous sense of humor. No matter what was going on in her life she always had time for her friends and family. She never let an occasion go by that didn’t see her sending cards and little gifts across the country.

Conversely, Eleanor never expected anything in return and was hard to get gifts for or surprise with anything. Except once…Eleanor loved to travel. Her family surprised her for her 50th birthday with an African Safari in a attempt to thank her  for all her sacrifices she made over the years. They stayed up all night so that they could surprise her with a call her on her birthday in Kenya. She talked about that trip and showed those pictures for years afterward.

At 92 years Eleanor had much happiness, success, and love in her life but also lost so many loved ones and bore much sadness. We pray that she has now been reunited with them.

The following is a tribute her daughter Ellen published on Social Media after Eleanor’s passing:

“My mother, Eleanor Kirk, passed away peacefully in her sleep Saturday night at the age of 92.

Eleanor was independent, strong, and an amazing role model. She was always up for any harebrained scheme (within reason) I could come up with.  Eleanor encouraged me not to fear taking reasonable risks, probably my most valuable asset.  I was moving back and forth across the country and going back home to live with her way before it was fashionable.  Eleanor was my best friend.  No matter how bad the situation was, as long as you told her the truth, she stood with you.

Eleanor waited a long time to become a grandmother but she was even better at that, if that was possible. She retired from her job as Office Manager for The Mearl Corporation, a chemical company that manufactured synthetic pearl-essence in 1992 when Amanda was 4 so that she could spend as much time with her as possible.  Eleanor traveled all over the U.S. with us on Spring Break every year. Death Valley, the Grand Canyon, and New Orleans to name a few.

I could go on and on about this but frankly it’s making me too sad. Say a prayer for Eleanor, if you pray.  If not, have a cocktail and toast her wonderful, well lived life.”