Venetta M. Kirkland

Mrs. Venetta M. Kirkland, 87, of Topeka, KS, passed away on July 16, 2010. Mrs. Kirkland was born January 15, 1923 in Griffin, GA to Thomas Ward and Fannie Bell McCullough. Venetta attended Brewton-Parker College in Mt. Vernon GA, where she met her future husband. Rev. J. Frank Kirkland and Venetta were joined in marriage July 21, 1945. Mrs. Kirkland served as a personnel clerk with the US Government at the FAA in Kansas City and Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, and a procurement agent for the Soil Conservation Service of the US Dept. of Agriculture in Columbia, MO. She was actively involved in all the churches in which Rev. Kirkland served as pastor, including Baptist churches in Fulton, MO; Carbondale, IL; Calhoun, MO; Macon, GA; Winterville, GA; White Plains, GA; and Americus, GA. Her piano playing talents brought joy to family gatherings and to many at Atria Hearthstone and Winter Meadow Home in Topeka. Venetta was preceded in death by her husband Rev. J. Frank Kirkland, her parents, brother Glendon and sister Uneeda. She is survived by her children, Clayton (Jan) Kirkland, Claire Phillips, Gary Kirkland, Hamilton (Catherine) Kirkland and grandchildren: Matthew and Alexander Kirkland, Rebecca and Laura Phillips, Luke Kirkland and Ira Griffen. Mrs. Kirkland also leaves a sister, Oweeda Seay of Fayetteville, GA, brother-in-law Ned (Pauline) Kirkland, sister-in-law Erin (Jimmy) Gilbert of Barnesville, GA sisters-in-law Eloise Kirkland, Douglas GA, Marian “Bunny” Ayers, Gainesville GA, a cousin Jim (Cynthia) McCullough, Nahant, Maine, and several nieces and nephews. Visitation will be Thursday, July 22, 2010 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Hancock Funeral Home in Americus. Funeral services will be Friday, July 23, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at the Fellowship Baptist Church, Tommy Hooks Road, Americus GA. Graveside services will immediately follow at Oak Grove Cemetery. Rev. Wendy Joyner will officiate. Donations in Venetta's memory may be sent to: Marble Retreat Christian Counseling, P.O. Box 176, Carbondale, CO 81623. Hancock Funeral Home, 427 South Lee Street, Americus, GA, is in charge of arrangements.