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Hubert Kirkel Obituary
Hugh Kirkel, beloved husband and father, passed from this life on February 6, 2016. Hugh was born on June 5, 1927, in Philadelphia, PA, the only son of Charles and Ida (Dordick) Kirkel, both deceased. After high school, Hugh enlisted for a short time in the Navy at the end of World War II. He received his B.S. in chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania, pursued a career as a detail man for a pharmaceutical company, and married Marjorie Shapiro (Mrs. Don Young) (Austin, TX). They had three daughters, Jo Alene Kirkel (Austin, TX) and Mercedes Andrea Kirkel (Sebastopol, CA) who both survive him, and Beth Ellen Kirkel (deceased).
Hugh joined the Air Force, where he achieved the rank of Lt. Colonel during twenty years of service. The Air Force sent him to Iowa City, where he obtained an M.A. in Hospital Administration (1954) at the University of Iowa. He specialized in Air-Evacuation during the Korean War while stationed in Japan. After his military career, Hugh climbed the administrative ranks in Chicago hospitals including Michael Reese Medical Center and Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center. He then became Executive Director of Chicago's Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital.
With a second marriage to Vivian Johnson (Port Alberni, BC), Hugh moved to Gallipolis, OH and became the CEO of Holzer Regional Medical Center. Upon retirement from Holzer, Hugh moved to Columbus, OH and, in 1987, he married Marjorie Durant (Newsom) Kirkel, his widow. Shortly after their marriage, Hugh and Marjorie moved to Albuquerque, where they became active members of Congregation Albert, Marriage Encounter, and Albuquerque Interfaith.
In addition to Marjorie and his daughters, Hugh is survived by four step-children: Christopher Newsom (Granite Falls, NC), Theresa (Terri) Bock (Westerville, OH), Donna Grilly (Steve) (Angola, IN), and Jerry Missar (Victoria, BC). Step-son William Missar is deceased. Also surviving are one granddaughter, Manger Huebner (San Francisco, CA); five step- grandchildren, Matthew and Jason Bock (Westerville, OH), and Seth, Ayla, and Allan Jackson Grilly (Angola, IN); one aunt, Lillian Dordick (Norristown, PA); and many close cousins.
A Funeral Service will be held Friday, February 12, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. in the Chapel at Congregation Albert, 3800 Louisiana Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110. Beginning at 9:30 a.m., Hugh's life will be celebrated with his favorite music and a video presentation. A military burial will be held Friday, February 12, 2016 at 2:15 p.m. at Santa Fe National Cemetery, 501 N Guadalupe St, Santa Fe, NM 87501.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that memorial donations be sent to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001. Please visit our online guestbook for Hugh at
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Memories and Condolences
for Hubert Kirkel
Sponsored by French Funerals & Cremations - Golf Course & Paradise.
1 Entry
Jacob Salzmann
July 8, 2017
As a U-Penn graduate, I receive the Pennsylvania Gazette and just received the July-Aug 17 issue, and was saddened to learn of my 1st cousin once-removed, Hugh Kirkel's passing; my mother, Eunice Chaiken Salzmann, the daughter of Jeannette Goldie Kirkel Chaiken, was Hugh's 1st cousin; Charlie and Ida Dordick Kirkel lived on Andrews Ave in Phila and were frequent visitors to our house in 1825 Pine St, Phila, PA, as my father, Harry Salzmann, MD, often treated the Kirkel Family; Hugh had 2 other aunts who lived in Brooklyn, NY, Belle Kirkel Baker and Bertha Kirkel Stein, who each had 2 children (who along with Eunice and her sister Shirley Hope Chaiken Lipschutz) were Hugh's 1st cousins on his father's side.
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