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Marian Kirkpatrick "Kirk" Torian

Marian Kirkpatrick "Kirk" Torian obituary, Mishawaka, IN

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Schramka Funeral Home

7841 West Appleton Ave

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Marian Torian Obituary

Torian, Marian "Kirk" Kirkpatrick July 16, 1921 - August 28, 2015 Marian "Kirk" Torian, age 94, passed away peacefully Friday morning, August 28, 2015 at her home in Mequon, WI. She was with her daughter, Sarah Torian Schroeder at the time. In addition to Sarah, Kirk is survived by her grandchildren, Katherine Schroeder Linney of Seattle, WA, and John Schroeder of Palo Alto, CA. She is preceded in death by her parents, Fredrick and Bernice Kirkpatrick, her husband, Thomas S. Torian, her son, Timothy S. Torian all of Mishawaka, IN and her brother, James Kirkpatrick of Brehnam, TX. Born in Mishawaka, IN in 1921, Kirk attended Milwaukee-Downer College, graduating in 1944 with a degree in political science and economics. After graduation, she moved to Paulsboro, NJ to work in the laboratories of Socony Vacuum Oil before moving back to Mishawaka. It was there that she met and married Thomas "Tim" Torian, her devoted husband for nearly 34 years. Upon her return to Mishawaka, Kirk focused on a life long commitment of service to her community. She was the first female board member and then chairman of Mishawaka Federal Savings Bank. Kirk could be heard frequently telling others what a great place Mishawaka was and truly believed in the merits of giving back to her hometown. Over the years she provided her unique brand of leadership to a wide variety of boards including the St. Joseph County United Way, the Mishawaka "Res", the South Bend Regional Art Museum, the Mishawaka Family YMCA, the Mishawaka Council of Camp Fire Girls and the Tri Kappa Sorority. She served as the campaign advisor to the four term republican mayor of Mishawaka and was an active member of the Mishawaka City Plan Commission. In 2002, Kirk moved to Mequon, WI and immediately rededicated herself to fundraising for the Lawrence-Downer Legacy Circle. In 2012, she was the recipient of the Gertrude Breithaupt Jupp MD '18 Outstanding Service Award recognizing the impact she had on establishing a robust college endowment. Kirk was a true environmentalist long before it was popular and instilled her love of nature to all those around her. She exposed countless numbers of the next generation to the wonders of nature through her role as a science and math teacher at Mishawka's Battell Elementary School. Memorial Services in Mishawaka are planned for a later date. Donations can be made to "Preservation of the Res", Mishawaka, Indiana (www.mishawakares.org) or to The Milwaukee-Downer Scholarship Fund at Lawrence University.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Sep. 2, 2015.

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6 Entries

Connie Moore

September 5, 2015

Kirk was a great inspiration to me at Battell School when I was a 4th grade teacher. She made science a fun learning experience for the students. A great woman who now resides in heaven.

Christine Duncan

September 3, 2015

Dearest Sarah, how I loved your dear, sweet Mom, the Kirkalator! She was such a force in our extended family and was an extremely beloved woman in my life. I loved her laugh, her positive attitude, her socks, her birds, the way she loved all of us, her deep devotion to her grandchildren and her appreciation of all that you did for her. You are an angel by nature and certainly were to her. Kirk will be missed but she will live on in our many stories of her! The Chrisalator

Terri Foley

September 2, 2015

Truly sorry to hear we've lost a very special woman and the best ever River's Edge neighbor.

Bob Borden

September 2, 2015

Sarah and family,
So sorry to hear of Marian's passing. Not only was she a shining star to her family and community, she was a kind, humble and giving soul. She was very generous and helpful to me in my efforts to compile our family history.

Jenna Stone

September 2, 2015

I was one of many Lawrence staff who had the pleasure of working with Kirk over the decades of her volunteer service for Lawrence and for Milwaukee Downer College. She made me feel like an honorary Downerite! Kirk was an absolute delight--witty, clever, and unfailingly kind. A truly special person, the kind who made people feel lucky to have known her. My heartfelt condolences to her family, of whom she spoke often and with great love and affection.

Norma Brockie-Woodruff

September 2, 2015

Condolences on the loss of your mother, Sarah. She was a wonderful woman. Mishawaka is richer for having her as our Princess!

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