Eunice Ruth Kirkpatrick

Eunice Ruth Kirkpatrick, 79, of Big Timber, died suddenly on Sunday, January 26.
Eunice was born in Michigan on August 22, 1945, daughter of Reverend Ewald L. and Ruth L. Brauer Stuempfig. She moved to Iowa as a young girl and spent her childhood in several communities in Iowa. She graduated from East Waterloo High School in 1963 and from State College of Iowa in 1967 with a degree in English. She later received her master's degree from the University of Iowa.
On June 6, 1970, Eunice married Dr. Walter G. Kirkpatrick. She was a proud mother of three children, Josh of Golden, CO, Tim of Engelwood, CO, and Sheri Loeffelman of Las Vegas, NV.
Eunice taught English for many years, retiring in 2007 from Germantown High School, near their home in Memphis, Tennessee. She and Walter spent their summers in Montana with family and built a log home in Big Timber in the late 1990's, where they retired in 2010. They also purchased a condo in Genesee, CO, enjoying special times with family. Eunice was very active in her Big Timber community, serving on Dornix Park board for years, organizing the hiking group, toiling endlessly in the Community Garden, and enjoying friends in book club, yoga, Zumba, and coffee time. She was devoted to the Lord for her whole life and enjoyed worshipping and serving Him at Big Timber Lutheran Church.
Eunice is survived by her husband of over 50 years, Walter; sons Joshua (Michelle) and Timothy; Sheri (Jeff); siblings Paul (Sue) Stuempfig of Surprise, AZ, Dan Stuempfig of Tiburon, CA, Lois Bonefas of Waterloo, IA, and Mary Joy Baughman of Sacramento, CA, 11 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held on March 1, 2025, at 11:00 am at Big Timber Lutheran Church, 115 W. 4th Ave, Big Timber, MT 59011. The service can be streamed at tiny.cc/EuniceKirkpatrick. In lieu of flflowers, donations to the Church would be gratefully appreciated.