Roland "Kirk" Livingston Kirkwood

Roland L. Kirkwood (Kirk), of Macon, Georgia, passed away Monday, February 13, 2012 at 4:30PM. Born May 6, 1922 in Chicago, Illinois, the son of John and LuLu Naumann Kirkwood. Married his high school sweetheart, Marynell Durland Kirkwood of River Grove, Illinois, and later sweetheart Claudia Sanderson Lowe of Macon, Georgia. Earned a Bachelor's Degree from Roosevelt University in Chicago, Illinois, then a Master's Degree in Music from the University of Illinois in Champaign. Roland displayed a talent for playing the trumpet. He was noticed by Renold Schilke who played for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Schilke became his tutor, mentor, and friend. When Schilke began manufacturing trumpets, Roland was pleased and honored to purchase the first one made, and treasured it the rest of his life. The horn was personally engraved by Schilke as "#1 Roland Kirkwood." Roland was a World War II Veteran. He served in the Air Corps and Air Force, as a Lieutenant and piloted B-17 bombers. He worked in Intelligence in Germany and later became a Security Guard for the US Federal Reserve Bank, in Chicago, until he secured his first teaching position. He taught music in Hebron, Wapella, and Moline, Illinois. He wrote articles published in Music Educators Journal, played trumpet for the Quad-City Orchestra, and was Choir Director for The Turners. In 1963 he became a Missionary, heading up the Music Department at Woodstock, the internationally known boarding school in the Himalayan Mountains of India. He introduced Indian cultural music and dance to the school curriculum. He could play every instrument in the band or orchestra as well as sitar and accordion. At Woodstock School, he met His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso. He then had the honor of conducting Orchestra, Band, and Choir concerts for His Holiness. The Chogyal (King) of Sikkim, HRH Palden Thondup Namgya, asked Roland to come live on the palace grounds in Gangtok, and hired him to reorganize the Military Band, as well as transpose and arrange the music to their national anthem and several folk songs. Roland played in numerous dance bands, orchestras and churches in Illinois and Georgia. He was a CASA advocate for youth. He also served on the Board of the Central Georgia Speech and Hearing Organization. Roland was a people person with an infectious laugh, who enjoyed traveling, learning foreign languages, reading, and playing cards in his spare time. Survived by his wife, Claudia of Macon, GA; former wife Marynell Kirkwood of Moline, IL; son Randall Kirkwood (Eileen) of Fergus Falls, MN; and daughters Kathryn Scott of Moline, IL; Karla Kirkwood-Johnson (Greg) of East Moline; and Jane Herr of Munster, IN; step daughter, Victoria Lowe of Flowering Branch, GA; step son, Clinton Lowe (Kimberley) of Suwanee, GA; ten grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; one great great grandchildren; one step grandson; many nieces and nephews; brother, Kenneth Kirkwood (Carolyn) of Dallas, TX; and sister, Jean Kirkwood Barrere of Arlington, TX. UPDATED Memorial services will be held at 2:00PM on Saturday, March 17, 2012 in the chapel of Hart's at the Cupola, 6324 Peake Road, with the Reverend Alan Mitchell officiating. Family will greet friends following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Heartland Hospice, 200 Northside Crossing, Macon, Georgia 31210, or donor's favorite charity. Register online at www.hartsmort.com. Hart's Mortuary and Crematory at the Cupola has charge of arrangements.