David John Kirkpatrick

DAVID JOHN KIRKPATRICK Houston, Texas David John Kirkpatrick, formerly of Iowa City, passed away peacefully on May 31, 2021, after a brief illness, in Houston, Texas. Born July 11, 1939, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa, the son of William and Celeste (Baumer) Kirkpatrick, Dave grew up on his parents' farm in Lone Tree, Iowa, graduated from Lone Tree High School, and earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Iowa. On Dec. 20, 1959, while still attending the U of I and working at Hills Bank in Iowa City, he married his high school sweetheart, Lavon Eden. Spending summers detasseling corn on his parents' and Townsend Brown's farms and shivering through Iowa's bitter cold winters led Dave to look for gainful employment that would keep him mostly indoors. Upon graduating in 1962, he moved with Lavon and his baby daughter, Lori, to Chicago. There he launched his long career with the accounting firm Peat, Marwick, Mitchell, and Company, now known as KPMG. Through his strong work ethic, relentless drive, and affable charm, he rose through the ranks of Peat Marwick, beginning in the audit practice and ultimately leading one of the firm's largest offices. He became one of the youngest Peat Marwick partners in 1973 and in 1978 was promoted to Managing Partner of the Hartford, Conn., office. Five years later, he was named Managing Partner of the Houston, Texas, KPMG office, where he served until retiring in 1991. The University of Iowa Department of Accounting honored Dave with the 1999 Outstanding Alumnus Award. Dave loved supporting his communities by giving his time and talents to the many charities and civic organizations whose missions he believed in. He served on the boards of the Salvation Army, Star of Hope, Society for the Performing Arts, Sheltering Arms, the University of Houston College of Business, and was President of the Board for the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. He was most proud of serving on the University of Iowa Tippie School of Business Board of Visitors and as Chairman of the Board of the Gulf Coast Chapter of the United Way, where he later served as Interim President, guiding the organization through challenging times in the early 1990s, while not accepting a salary. Above all, Dave and Lavon loved spending time with their children, grandchildren, extended family, and dear friends, especially at "The Castle" in Steamboat Springs, Colo. For much of his life, he loved playing golf with his wife, friends, and family. More recently, he switched to playing cards. You would regularly find him at the card table in the men's locker room at Braeburn, and he rarely missed Monday night poker with his friends at his condo in Houston. He loved watching Hawkeye Football and Men's and Women's Basketball, the Astros, and the Rockets (well, not so much this season). Survivors include his daughter, Lori Kirkpatrick of Hartford, Conn.; sons, Steve Kirkpatrick (Brenda) of Rochester, N.Y., and Tom Kirkpatrick (Djuana) of Arvada, Colo.; grandchildren, Courtney Preston (Mike) of Galena, Kan., Henry Kirkpatrick of Arvada, Colo., David Kirkpatrick of Aurora, Colo., and Hannah Kirkpatrick of Thornton, Colo.; brother, Dennis Kirkpatrick (Ann) of Port Orchard, Wash.; sisters-in-law, Irmgard Eden of Watertown, Mass., Betty Kirchner of Iowa City, Iowa, and Delores Eden of Hills, Iowa; and many beloved nieces and nephews. Dave was preceded in death by his loving wife; his parents; father-in-law, Thomas Eden; mother-in-law, Hilma (Benson) Eden; brothers-in-law, Carroll Eden (and his wife Elma), Hubert Eden, Robert Eden (and his wife Elaine), Marion Eden (and his wife Carolyn), William Eden and Don Kirchner; and sister-in-law, Florence Millsap (and her husband Ken). Visitation will be Wednesday, June 9, between 4 and 7 p.m. at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service in Iowa City. Funeral Services will begin Thursday at 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Iowa City. Burial will follow in the Lone Tree Cemetery. In lieu of flowers and plants, memorials may be directed to The University of Iowa Foundation or to the charity of the donor's choice. Online condolences may be left at www.lensingfuneral.com