t Suzanne Bridger Kirkland, wife of Kirk Kirkland for more than 50 years, is participating in the memorial dedication of the flag monument at Center Grove Baptist Church. Church member Rocky Liles is at left.
Gathered in support of the memorial for Kirk Kirkland and other veterans are, from left, Mike Stuart, Rocky Liles, Emma Jacobs, Meloni Liles, Linda Pate, Kenneth Pate, Barry Wise, Kay Watson, Ellen Morris, Suzanne Kirkland, T. J. Bolt, Stephanie Bolt, Ton
q The Center Grove Baptist Church north of Linden.At the far right, is the flag memorial being readied for Dr. Kirkland and other veterans at the church’s cemetery.
Veterans Mike Lee and Mike Stuart, members of the J. E. Manning American Legion Post 258 in Atlanta, are preparing the newly constructed Center Grove Cemetery flag monument for its dedication.
Kirkland Memorial Veterans Monument takes shape
The final remains of some 73 veterans are being watched over by a new lighted U. S. flag and monument at the gate of the Center Gove Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery near Linden.
The flag is the contribution of the family and church of Dr. Billy Royce Kirkland. Dr. Kirkland was given an affectionate name for his love of, and respect for, veterans. He was called “Kirk.”
When Kirk died Saturday, July 3, 2021, at age 86, his almost lifelong attention to veterans melted away. But not of those who followed Kirk’s example. They wanted to do something to remember him, especially his dedication and his own military and community service.
And so, the church pastor suggested a flag and monument at Kirk’s church.
“We had the idea to do this, and today we have accomplished this much of the Billy Royce Kirkland memorial veterans monument,” said the church minister T. J. Bolt. “We’ve named it in his honor and will continue to complete it.”
Kirk had been born in Cass County in 1935 to his parents who were Kittie Belle Harrod Kirkland and Ira Bernard Kirkland. He graduated from Linden-Kildare High School and immediately joined the U. S. Marines.
Kirk would credit the success he later earned to his military training. He went on to earn the bachelor and master college degrees in the fields of business administration as well as counseling and guidance. He then earned the doctorate degree from East Texas State University at Commerce. He would teach at the college level for 40 years.
It was, however, his attention to the needs of veterans and his own continuous daily service to veterans that brought him personal success and the respect of those who knew him.
As an example, Kirk helped establish a nursing program for his American Legion Post in Stephenville that visited and honored veterans with recognition. It was a model program that reflected his habit of going weekly to the nursing homes to see any veteran and particularly any who might be neglected. This he did so consistently that the organized effort became a first-in-Texas program for a legion post. His other awards and achievements in service to others were so numerous they filled two type-written pages.
There is also the more personal and close to home story of Kirk’s impact. It involves a veteran in a nursing bed who would not talk or eat. Kirk’s wife Suzanne Bridges Kirkland recalls the happening.
‘The staff members were at a loss and worried,” she tells. “Kirk walked in, came close to the bed, stood tall, saluted and shouted, ‘Attention!’ And then again. ‘Attention!’” “The man raised himself and then sat up in bed. He began talking and later eating. My husband would go to see him thereafter.”
And thus, in his honor the church recently completed the main construction for a lighted veterans memorial flag and monument. On a recently Sunday afternoon, some 20 individuals gathered, dedicated the monument and shared a meal together.