Tom, always ready for an outdoor adventure, set out for the big one. His family was by his side in Richmond, Virginia as he began his eternal life with God.
Born in Lexington, Virginia and raised on a farm along the Maury River by Alone Mill near the Borden’s land tract settled by his ancestors, Andrew and Robert Kirkpatrick in the 1750s, Tom played football, basketball and threw discus on the track team at Lexington High School, where he met the love of his life, Mary Ann. They continued dating during their college years, and Tom graduated from Ferrum College with a degree in Agriculture.
Mary Ann and Tom were married October 1, 1961 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Lexington, Virginia and their first home was the Old Schoolhouse on the family farm. Once Tom started his new job with Southern States in December 1962, they moved to Charles Town, West Virginia. There, they welcomed their two sons to this world. In 1968, the family moved to Richmond, Virginia, where their daughter was born in 1971.
Members of St. Edward and then St. Benedict Catholic Churches, Tom, his wife and sons were Eucharistic ministers. Tom was also a member of the Knights of Columbus.
He served as Chairman of the Virginia Agribusiness Council and on numerous Boards of Directors notably the American Feed Industry Association, Cooperative Research Farms, Pro-Pet, LLC, and the Virginia Retail Merchants Association. In 1990, Tom became a Vice President of Southern States, first with the Retail Division II and then with the Feed Division in 1992. He retired from Southern States in 2001.
Tom traveled the world by sea with his wife and their daughter. They also loved to take road trips throughout the United States with their beloved family member, Morrison, a poodle they adopted from a shelter. Tom played tennis with his family and cherished relaxing beside the ocean, whether it was at their house in Virginia Beach or elsewhere during vacations. He loved visiting majestic locations for sky-watching and stargazing, sharing his awesome sense of humor and childhood stories, going fly-fishing, and golfing internationally with friends and colleagues. Skilled at carpentry and at keeping an abundant vegetable garden growing, Tom was an avid reader.
In 2019, Tom and his daughter traveled out of state to meet and bring home from a rescue organization their latest canine family member, Bear. Bear’s energetic personality kept Tom smiling.
Tom was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Ann Neofotis Kirkpatrick; his parents, Thomas McGuffin Kirkpatrick and Mary Morrison Trotter Wilbourn Kirkpatrick; and his sister, Elise Kirkpatrick Alexander.
He is survived by his three children: sons, Thomas “Trey” McGuffin Kirkpatrick lll, who resides in New Hampshire, Dr. Peter Steven Kirkpatrick (Françoise) of Richmond, Virginia; and daughter, Mary-Susan Kirkpatrick of Lexington, Virginia; grandchildren, Kelsey, Ryan and Ethan Kirkpatrick and Catherine Ravaux-Black (Jordan); great-grandchildren, Alexander, Sophie and Koko Black; niece, Michelle Alexander Czerw (Russell) and their son and daughter; brother-in-law, George Neofotis, his wife and their three children; many cousins; and a close friend of the family for 43 years, W. Frederick George of Savannah, Georgia.
A private burial took place March 9, 2021 at Oak Grove cemetery (Stonewall Jackson cemetery) in Lexington, Virginia. There will be a Mass celebrating Tom’s life at a future date to be announced by St. Patrick Catholic Church, where he was a parishioner for the last 20 years after returning home to Rockbridge County from the City of Richmond.
Published by Richmond Times-Dispatch on Apr. 25, 2021.
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