Dr. Joseph Jack Kirkland

Dr. Joseph Jack Kirkland, age 91, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Sunday, October 30, 2016 after living a long and fruitful life. Jack was born in Winter Garden, Florida to Bertye and Joe Kirkland and moved with his family to Melbourne, Florida in 1940. Jack often reminisced about his childhood, recounting lots of fun memories with his loving younger sister, Joanne Nelson, of Melbourne, FL. Following graduation from Melbourne High School Jack was drafted and served our country as an electronics technician stationed in the Philippines during World War II. After the war, Jack began training for what would become his lifelong passion in chemical research. He received his AB and MS degrees in chemistry from Emory University in 1948 and 1949, respectively, after which he relocated to Delaware and began his industrial experience with Hercules Powder. Jack left Hercules in 1950 to pursue his PhD in Analytical Chemistry at the University of Virginia, which he received in 1953. Jack then returned to Delaware to begin a successful 43-year career in the Central Research Department of the E. I. DuPont de Nemours Co. at the Experimental Station, where he retired as a DuPont Fellow in 1992. Jack was honored with a DSc degree by Emory University in 1994. After inventing several revolutionary products in chromatography Jack received the prestigious DuPont Lavoisier Award for Technical Achievement in 1997. Jack and his close friend, Dr. Lloyd Snyder, taught chromatography to thousands of scientists nationwide for the American Chemical Society. Despite his "retirement" from DuPont, Jack continued his scientific contributions directing Research and Development for Rockland Technologies, Hewlett Packard, Agilent Technologies, and Advanced Materials Technologies. Over his long career, Dr. Kirkland authored over 160 peer-reviewed publications, and authored or edited eight books on chromatography, many of which were translated into several languages. He was professionally recognized as one of the founding fathers of modern liquid chromatography and received 32 patents. Jack was the recipient of more than 10 major scientific society awards including the American Chemical Society Award in Chromatography and the Torbern Bergman Medal in Analytical Chemistry from the Swedish Chemical Society. However, Jack's inventive mind never truly retired. Beginning in 2005, Jack joined Advanced Materials Technology, Inc., to pursue some new ideas. At the time of his death he was Director of Research, where he worked with lifelong friends from his industrial career and pioneered new approaches in separation science. Despite multiple health challenges, Jack was always determined to return to the lab. His intellectual discussions, his passion for science, research and ethics, and his respect for others, will be greatly missed by his longtime colleagues. It is impossible to capture in words his lifelong energy and enthusiasm. During his short periods of retirement, Jack enjoyed playing golf with close friends from his over-50-year membership at the DuPont Country Club. Jack was also blessed with many friends from his second home at Mountain Air Country Club in Burnsville, North Carolina. He enjoyed traveling worldwide, and fell in love with Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic. Jack was an avid reader and especially enjoyed books about the Civil War and Winston Churchill. He was a devoted Philadelphia Eagles and lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. Jack never turned down a good dessert. He welcomed opportunities to learn something new. Jack taught himself how to build computers along with voice recognition software to write and share his memoirs. Jack leaves behind a loving family to cherish his memories: devoted wife Karin, sister Joanne Nelson (Bob), children Holly Kirkland Clouser (Jeff), Mark Kirkland (Robin), Celeste Mozeik (Bradley), Kent Kirkland (Terri), and Kerry Kirkland (Peter Grellmann), grandchildren Gerrod and Alanna Mozeik, Gwendolyn Kirkland, Kara and Natalia Grellmann, and Jasmina Smith, and brother in law, Robin Monson. Jack is survived by many nieces, nephews, neighbors, and very special friends (Kathy, Barb, Joanne, Nan, Joe, and Judy). The family thanks the Heartland Hospice staff, his team of visiting nurses (Jessica and Irine), and Willowbrooke at Cokesbury for their kind and compassionate care during Jack's final days. The family will receive friends on Friday, November 11, 2016 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the Chandler Funeral Home, 2506 Concord Pike, Wilmington, Delaware 19803. Jack's life will be celebrated in a memorial service on Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 11:00 AM at Mount Lebanon United Methodist Church, 850 Mount Lebanon Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19803. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions in Jack's memory to Mount Lebanon United Methodist Church, 850 Mount Lebanon Road, Wilmington, DE 19803.