Jeannie Kirkpatrick

Jeannie Leslie (Hamilton) Kirkpatrick was born in Bismarck, North Dakota on October 12, 1953, the youngest of three children to Charles and Laverne (Fuchs) Hamilton. Jeannie, with her older sister and brother, Patti and Craig, grew up in Oelwein, Iowa until 10th grade when her family moved to Stevens Point, WI. She was part of the first graduating class of SPASH, the new high school. “72 is better than you!”

Jeannie attended UW Eau Claire, majoring in special and elementary education. During her time at UWEC, Jeannie was presented with a very clear explanation of the gospel, the truth about the identity and purpose of Jesus Christ. As a result she wholeheartedly received Christ as her Savior and Lord and her life began to change quickly.

For her junior year, Jeannie went with 100 students to take their class work in Copenhagen, Denmark. She also went there to share her new faith in Christ. God used her and a few others wonderfully as many of that student group indicated that they too had put their faith in Jesus Christ.

Upon graduation, Jeannie joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) and was assigned to Indianapolis, IN, where Jim Kirkpatrick was her Area Director. After three months of dating and six months of engagement, they became Mr. and Mrs. Jim and Jeannie Kirkpatrick on May 28, 1978. Now 45 years later there are five wonderful adult children (Ryan, Nathan, Kristen, Tyler and Erin), four wonderful spouses and twelve especially wonderful grandchildren.

Jeannie loved teaching and was wonderfully gifted for it; she loved telling people about Jesus Christ and was used great by God through it; she loved the Bible and immersed herself in it; she was genuine, smiled infectiously, had great joy, told great personal stories and loved going with her immediate family to Grand View Lodge on Gull Lake for “family reunions”. One of her special prayerful desires during this year’s cancer journey was that she would have one more trip to Grand View - which was very joyfully fulfilled in July. As her cancer progressed, she said she would like to make it to her 70th birthday, which was Thursday, 10/12/23. The next day she went into the presence of her wonderful and precious Savior and Lord.

Jeannie is survived by her five children, Ryan (Lisa) Kirkpatrick, Nathan (Chrissie) Kirkpatrick, Kristen (Luke) Prosser, Tyler Kirkpatrick and Erin (Nathan) Brown, along with twelve grandchildren: Landon, Jude and Emmeline (Ryan): Delaney, Oliver and Nora (Nathan); Leyton, Finn, Everett and Ivy (Kristen); and Holland and Abel (Erin); as well as by her sister Patti (Bill) Ruth and brother Craig (Ranae) Hamilton; along with uncles Arlon Fuchs and Leslie (Bettie) Fuchs and many cousins, nieces and nephews.