To live as gently as I can...
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- Published on Thursday, October 1, 2015
Photo courtesy of the Reston Recorder. Jeff Kirk, who passed away in December of 2012, left bequests in support of a number of local projects.
By Rita Friesen
The Neepawa Banner
Jeff Kirk began his career with Canada Post in the village of Riding Mountain, under the leadership of Pat Dinsdale. He was willing to relocate and embraced new communities, purchasing a home, creating an oasis.
Kirk worked and resided at Onanole, Reston, Melita and Erickson. He was always professional, loved travel and music and collected local history books. He was kind and had a wonderful sense of humour.
While working at one of his postings, an elderly gentleman, suffering from tremors, re-entered the post office, approached Jeff, and confessed he had just rammed Jeff’s car out in the parking lot. Never at a loss for words, Jeff looked up and answered –”well, isn’t that lovely!”. No sarcasm, just no other response at the ready!
Kirk loved the communities in which he worked. After his death, several centres were notified that they were the recipients of generous bequests. Riding Mountain Cemetery (R.M. of Rosedale), Reston Memorial Park (R.M. of Pipestone), Neepawa Beautiful Plains Museum and the Neepawa Margaret Laurence Home began dreaming of how to best utilize the gift.
The Killarney Foundation manages the funds for the Town of Erickson and the R.M. of Clanwilliam. Reston Memorial Park designated a pathway project. This path provides safe wheelchair mobility and a place for children to learn to ride their bikes. The Margaret Laurence Home is planning repairs to the front porch and interior improvements, hoping to update to the point where the home could house a writer in residence. The Neepawa Beautiful Plains Museum is planning an expansion to their facility and trusting that this gift will be a seed start. Kirk’s early years and family ties were in the Humerston Siding and his wishes request recognition of the Siding and Irvine School.
Jeff Kirk, March 18, 1961 – December 3, 2012, was a forward thinker and his gifts are much appreciated.
