John Edward Kirkpatrick

John Edward “Ed” Kirkpatrick went home to be with our Lord and Savior on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at the age of 87. He was born June 24, 1938, in Monahans, Texas, to John Spencer (Spence) and Norma Louise (Bess) Kirkpatrick. He was the oldest of eight children—five boys and three girls—and grew up in a large West Texas family.

In 1961, Edward joined the Army and was stationed in Redmond, Washington. While there, he met the love of his life, Gloria Dawn McCoskrie, on a blind date on Bainbridge Island. Ed proposed on their second date, and six months later they were married on September 16, 1961. Together they built a life centered on faith and family, raising four children—two sons and two daughters.

In their early years of marriage, Ed and Gloria moved between Washington and Texas before settling in Midland, Texas in 1970, where they lived for more than two decades.

Edward loved the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing, and the family spent many memorable vacations at Bonito Lake in Ruidoso, NM, where they made countless cherished memories camping and fishing together.

Faith and ministry were central to Edward’s life. As a young boy, he joined the Primitive Baptist Church in Midland, where he was baptized at the age of 10 by Elder Ben Howse. Even in his youth he was known as a devoted student of the Bible, memorizing scriptures that stayed with him throughout his life. During these years, he developed a deep admiration for Elder Hilton Crain, who would later become one of his fathers in the ministry.

Although Edward felt called to the ministry early in life, that calling was set aside for many years while he served in the Army and raised his family. Before marrying Gloria, he told her he believed he had a calling to preach and that the life of ministry might someday be part of their future together.

Before his ministry work and later alongside it, Ed spent much of his life in the building trades. As a young man, he worked with his father, a house mover, learning construction and heavy equipment work. Upon Ed and Gloria’s final move to Midland in 1970, Ed worked in masonry and construction management, and he eventually founded his own commercial remodeling business, Kirkpatrick Kontractors, in 1977.

During those years in Midland, Edward felt it was time to stop running from his calling to preach/share the Word. The family began attending services under Pastor Elder J. E. Barrington, who began asking Ed to take time in the pulpit.

Edward was ordained to the full work of the ministry in July, 1978. He soon found himself preaching and traveling across Texas for church meetings and associations. Not long afterward, he helped a group of believers in Colorado City, Texas who were meeting in homes. With encouragement from Elder George Burt, Edward labored with them to establish a church, helping them purchase and remodel a building and form a thriving congregation.

In 1991, at age 51, Ed underwent major heart surgery after experiencing severe chest pains. This experience led him to focus more on his health and to consider changes in his work and lifestyle. God provided that change by way of a call to pastor a church in Norfolk, VA (Tidewater PBC) in 1992. Edward obediently answered that call, closed his business, and moved himself and Gloria to Virginia in July of that year. There, Edward faithfully served the congregation for the next 13 years. Even after returning to Texas in 2005 to be closer to family, Ed and Gloria continued traveling back to Virginia for annual meetings and special occasions for many years.

While serving as a pastor in Virginia, Edward also worked as a housing inspector for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), traveling throughout Virginia and occasionally across the country. After being away from family and their many grandchildren for those thirteen years, Ed and Gloria decided to make their way home to Texas. They moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, living in Arlington and later in Melissa to be closer to family. During these years, he served churches in Wilson, Oklahoma; Stephenville, Midland, and Seagoville, Texas; and the couple later joined Dixie Primitive Baptist Church in Whitesboro, Texas.

Ed was preceded in death by his parents, Spence and Bess Kirkpatrick; his brothers Roy Kirkpatrick and Raymond Kirkpatrick; his sister Louise Neatherlin; and his grandson Alec Edward Kirkpatrick.

He is survived by his beloved wife Gloria Kirkpatrick; his children Eddie Kirkpatrick, David Kirkpatrick and his wife Vicki, Karin Davies and her husband Scott, and Kathy Miller and her husband Paul; his brothers Donnie Kirkpatrick and Paul Kirkpatrick; his sisters Nell Whitmore and Joann Merworth; fourteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; as well as many extended family members, church family, and friends who were blessed by his life and ministry.

Truly, Edward’s life was one of service to the Lord and the Lord’s people across the country. Ed was loved and admired by so many and left his mark on the countless lives his works touched.

Visitation will be held Sunday, March 15, 2026 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the Wade Funeral Home, 4140 West Pioneer Parkway, Arlington Texas. A Funeral Service will be held Monday, March 16, 2026 at the Old School Primitive Baptist Church,1075 North Little School Road, Arlington, Texas with singing beginning at 10:45 am and the service to start at 11:00 am.

A graveside service will be held at the DFW National Cemetery on Wednesday, March 25 at 2:00 p.m.