Ret. Sgt Major James "Jimmy" Kirkley of Sunset Harbor, formerly of Raeford, a proud United States Army and Korea and Vietnam Veteran, died peacefully Wednesday, December 13, 2023 at the age of 92.
He was born in Chesterfield County, South Carolina on April 29, 1931 to the late Keith and Clora Kirkley.
At the age of 19 in 1950, he enlisted in the United States Army and honorably served for 22 years before retiring as a Sergeant Major in 1972. During his career he served throughout the United States and in Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Germany.
After retiring from the Army, he ran a successful business, traveled extensively, gardened, fished and fixed anything that was broken. He will be remembered by all who knew him for his energy, hard work and confidence that if someone else could do something, he could do it too.
He is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Carolyn M. Kirkley; his daughters and their husbands, Angela Joy Kirkley and Robert Mitchell, and Gay Pilkington and the late Tom Pilkington; his sons and their wives, Ronald Kirkley and Cristina Pagani, and Don Kirkley and Cheryl Kirkley; his grandson and his wife, Aaron and Jessica Pilkington; his grandson, Byron Pilkington; his granddaughter, Lily McNutt; and his great grandsons, Kirk and Oliver Pilkington.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. February 17 at White Funeral and Cremation Service, 603 Ocean Hwy. E., Bolivia, North Carolina, 28422.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Lower Cape Fear LifeCare Foundation, 1414 Physicians Drive, Wilmington, NC 28401 or online at lifecare.org for the SECU Hospice House of Brunswick, or the First Baptist Church of Sunset Harbor, 3867 Sunset Harbor Road SE, Bolivia, N.C. 28422 for the building fund.