After a long and feisty battle with heart disease, Robert A. Kirkpatrick (Bob) died March 19, 2008 at South Muskoka Memorial Hospital. He was the husband of Beverley (Copeland) and the loving father of Beth Marchington and husband John, Lynn Watson and husband Bruce, and Judy Howse and husband John. He will be missed by his grandchildren Katie and Erin Marchington, Heather and Lisa Watson and Dylan Howse. He was predeceased by sisters Colleen Champagne and Thelma McKnight.

Bob was the son of Arthur Kirkpatrick, an Irish immigrant, and Marjory Emes of Beaverton, Ontario. Bob was raised in Beaverton and graduated from Ryerson in mechanical technology. He later completed a bachelor of arts in economics at the then Waterloo Lutheran University and a secondary school teaching certificate.

After graduating from Ryerson, Bob worked for the federal government in Ottawa. There he met and married Bev, and Beth and Lynn were born. But in 1960 he purchased a machine shop and foundry in Beaverton and the family returned to his boyhood home, where Judy was born. With the expansion of technical education, Bob entered teaching and eventually moved to Bracebridge where he served as technical director until his retirement in 1989.

An active person, Bob played football, softball, hockey and golf. His work with youth led him to coach hockey and golf, serve on the Scout committee, lead a Tuxis/Trail Rangers group and establish two figure skating clubs. He was a past president and zone chairman of the Lions Club. He served as district president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation and chaired the Northern Region Technical Directors’ Association. He was a past president of the local Heart and Stroke Foundation and a former director of the South Muskoka Curling and Golf Club.

His greatest joy was having his family around him at the cottage.

An in memoriam service was held March 22, 2008 at Bracebridge United Church. Rev. Nancy Knox and Rev. Kevin Logie officiated.