Paul James Kivlighan

Paul James "Ike" Kivlighan STAUNTON

Paul James "Ike" Kivlighan, 97, died 2 a.m. Wednesday, August 27, 2008, at Shenan-doah House, a hospice facility at Augusta Medical Center.

He was born December 8, 1910, in Staunton, a son of Thomas and Catherine (Brown) Kivlighan and was a lifelong resident.

Mr. Kivlighan had been in reasonably good health until June 6, when his wife of almost 70 years, Juanita "Nita" Pearl Ramsey Kivlighan died.

He was the last surviving member of his immediate family, but is survived by his much loved nieces and nephews; special friends, Nita K. Giroux and Jim Pile; sisters-in-law, Blanche Fortune, Jane Baker, and Bertha Webb; and first cousin, William "Bill" Kivlighan.

He was also preceded in death by a sister, Mary Burke Kivlighan, 14, and six brothers, Thomas, J.J., Michael Owen, Dennis Martin, Felix Brown and Edward Brown.

His father was Staunton's first fire chief, and according to a story in the Staunton Daily News in 1896, "he has a record of which any man, in his position, might be proud(he) is very popular with the company and his 'laddies' say of him 'that the hotter the fire the cooler his head'." He was president of the Virginia Fireman's Association for two years.

Ike was a well-known football and basketball official in Staunton and throughout Virginia for many years. It was through basketball officiating that he met Nita. Ike, who had been officiating since about 1935, was working a game for the "Snowbirds", an independent Craigsville girls' basketball team, of which Nita was a member. He called her for "face-guarding" (playing the opponent rather than the ball, Ike explained), she protested too vigorously and he threw her out of the game. However, he told her that he would be by to see her the following night. Nita told him she was married, to which Ike said he replied, "I'll be out tomorrow night to see how married you are."

They were married 6 p.m. October 21, 1939, in the rectory at St. Francis Church after a Massanutten-Staunton Military Academy football game, which Ike had worked. He recalled that he and Nita went to Harrisonburg and the Massanutten team was in the restaurant having dinner.

He introduced the bride to the coach and laughed. "It was the first time I had introduced Nita as my wife." Ike said he told the coach who asked why he laughed.

Ike well remembers the 1941 SMA-AMA football game, which was called after a near-fracas. The referee, the late Paul Holstein, a Lexington judge, ruled the game a no-contest.

Ike worked Southern Conference basketball games for a number of years, when its members included the Univeristy of Virginia, Virginia Tech and others of the current Atlantic Coast Conference.

He retired from officiating before the 1956 season. He had received a list of nine games from the ACC to work, but returned them. "The boys outran me," he gave as one reason for his decision to retire. He declined to go further. He also managed Tony Senell's fast-pitch city league softball team for 15 years, winning eight or nine championships. He was instrumental in getting the league switched from twilight to night play.

Edwin F. Conger, president of E. F. Conger Creosoting Company and two related companies, donated the power poles and Sidney Matthews, power company manager in Staunton at the time, saw to it that the lines and lights were installed, Mr. Kivlighan recalled.

Ike worked at DuPont in Waynesboro for about 15 years, quitting because he didn't like shift work, and joined his brother, J.J., in the 1940's as manager of his service station at Augusta Street and Churchville Avenue. A "misunder-standing" led to a separation, and other jobs followed, including operation of other stations and the snack bar at SMA.

The Kivlighan family was associated with the school for many years. His father and a brother, Owen, operated the commissary; Ike and several of his brothers attended the school; and Ike was alumni secretary for many years, serving until the school closed.

Mr. Kivlighan was a staunch Catholic, but as a young man joined a youth group at First Presbyterian Church, and served one year as president. Bill Thomas, a widely known athletic official in those days, was instrumental in getting him to join, Mr. Kivlighan said. Another member was Joe Ast, whose family operated a hardware store downtown.

A funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday, August 30, 2008 in the Henry Funeral Home Chapel with burial following in Thornrose Cemetery.

Active pallbearers will be Henley Carter, Joe Carter, Alex Carter, Jimmy Ramsey, Mark Fridley, Gregory Armstrong, Dennis Kivlighan, Robert Carter, and Wilson Ramsey.

Honorary pallbearers will be Thomas Hamrick, H. Roller Shipplett, Jr., Jimmy Thacker, Tommy Baker, Paul Baker, Earl Shirkey, Wilton Deacon, Gary Gum, Jim Pile, Ramond Campbell, William Kivlighan, Michael Armstrong, William Ramsey, and members of the Nine O'Clock Coffee Club.

The family will receive friends from 7 until 8 p.m. Friday, August 29, 2008 at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to AMC Shenandoah House, P. O. Box 215, Fishersville, VA 22939, where Mr. and Mrs. Kivlighan had made their home since March. He said that everyone there was "very nice".

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.henryfuneralhome.net.


This obituary was originally published in the News Virginian.