Every man dies. Not every man really lives.
William Wallace From the movie Braveheart This memorial website was created to remember our dearest James Ray Kirkwood who was born in United States on April 11, 1971 and passed away on March 30, 2007. You will live forever in our memories and hearts.
Its coming up on two years now Jimmy, and I can't let go nor will I ever I don't want to, I just want it to hurt less. My heart aches everyday due to the loss of you! As life moves on, I just want to scream on top of my lungs, DON"T FORGET HIM, he was here, and he deserves to be remembered and never forgotton!!! But, the truth is I know that all those who new you have never forgot nor will ever forget. You are forever cemented in our hearts our memories and our lives. Everytime we play the music a bit to loud, your there, everytime we play fetch with our dogs, your there, every boating trip to the lake, every wood floor that Duke, Bart, or any of your other brothers lay, your there, every visit to Willies or countless bars in Oklahoma and a Jimmy Kirkwood story is told your there. Every tear shed your there. These are the things that we hold... Thank you Jimmy, from the bottom of my heart for being a part of our lives. You've truely touched our lives unlike anyone else will ever and how blessed we are to all have a piece of you! You are forever in our hearts.
James Ray Kirkwood III, 35, of Stillwater, died Friday, March 30, 2007, in Stillwater. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Strode Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor James Litchenberger officiating. Interment will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens. Strode Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. He was born Easter Day, April 11, 1971, in Norwalk, Calif., to James Ray Kirkwood Jr. and Debbie (Morgan) Kirkwood. He married Katherine Emily “Katy” Kellum Oct. 5, 2006, in Stillwater. He lived in Oklahoma City, where he attended grade school. When his family moved to Stillwater in 1983, he became fast friends with many, and those friendships lasted his lifetime. He attended Stillwater High School. He was the owner/operator of Kirkwood Hardwood Floors. He was seen regularly, driving the streets or out at the lake with his two beloved dogs, Alias and Trula, in the back of his 4x4 Ford extended cab truck. He was a cool cat. He was the guy everyone knew, even if they had never met him. He was brutally loyal to his true friends, and you knew if you were one of them. He loved himself, he loved life, the outdoors, music and “good times,” but mostly his friends and family. He had a smile that was so mischievous; you never really knew just what was going on in his head. But no matter what, you couldn’t help but love him. He liked things his way, and he liked them in order. He had an obsessive side that was over the top. He was joked by his close friends about his OCD. He knew it was all in good fun. He was very proud of his newlywed status and his stepdaughter,Kennedy Kay, but even prouder of his most recent achievement, James Ray Kirkwood IV. He will be missed dearly. He is survived by his father of Perkins; his mother of San Bernardino, Calif.; his wife of Stillwater; one son, James Ray Kirkwood IV of Stillwater; one step-daughter, Kennedy Kay Brown of Stillwater and one sister, Sarah and her husband, Andrew. Pallbearers will be Duke Thompson, Scott Cathey, Mike Rine, Rusty Henry, Matt Clark, Bart Douglas, Rob Melton, Colt Ham, Brian Irvin, Mark Shreve, Andrew Amento, Jason Maciula, Ryan Morgan, Clint
A few memories left by some of his dearest friends:The Jimmy we know, love, and miss dearly... "I'm James Ray Kirkwood... ever heard of me? I'm famous"-- I really miss hearing him say "Berta, berta are you mad at me? Berta, don't be mad at me, I love you, man." -- "I sit back with this pack of zigzags that gives me the sheneed that I need to feel the sheneel......."a regular James Ray quote.-- "let's Rock & Roll!!"-- "HOUSE!"--"Come on man, It's my birthday!!!" "Five to one, baby - One in five - No one here gets out alive, now you get yours, baby I'll get mine...your all a bunch of fucking slaves" He said this comment on many occasions, really more of a quote from a Doors song, but it was extra funny this night because we were at a crowed bar on New Year's Eve and Jimmy had taken the microphone away from the band to shout this out. I think we got kicked out not long after this event.--I asked Jimmy where he got such a good deal on some equipment. He said "I bought em' off some dumb niggers in Indiana at a great discount when I found out who they stole them from." I said jokingly "Isn't that politically incorrect?" He said "No I buy every thing I can from dumb Nigger thieves, I'm a loyal customer".---I was doing Katy's hair at work and jimmy called... Jimmy: Hey, i'm going to the store, do you want anything? Abby: No, i'm good, thanks tho. Jimmy: Nothing to drink? Abby:Nope, i'm good. Jimmy: Ok, i'll be there in a minute, love ya bye. Abby (with a confused look on my face): love you too,, bye." I looked at Katy and we died laughing. So she calls him back and informs him that he told me he loved me and he had no clue. We all got a good laugh at this one. Jimmy your dearly missed. I miss the invites to the bar in the middle of the day. "Come on, ditch work and lets go get drunk!" :) wish i would have gone. Abby "----- As loud as he could possibly scream "PRETTY GOOD, PRETTY GOOD...ALRIGHT!!!!"-------- "I'M 10-10 ON THE SIDE"--------- "YOU GOT A JOINT? IT'D BE ALOT COOLER IF YOU DID"-------- Another famous Jimmy shenanigan was getting on the intercom at any Wal Mart in the country (I still have no clue how he knew the code) and saying in a high-pitched voice "STRAWBERRY"--- One time we were at a party that had a live band. Jimmy had a bottle of vodka and was drinking it straight. The bass player was playing and Jimmy would put the bottle to his lips and he would keep drinking until Jimmy took the bottle from him. After about 10 up to the lips with him, He passed out while he was playing. There are soooo many more stories about Jimmy, but that one was one of the funnist things I ever seen.------ "What are you looking at, Leather?!!" Jimmy, the Melton brothers and I were drinking outside at a bar on Brookside in Tulsa. Two bikers roll in with their chick in tow, all beards, braids and leather. They sit down at a table next to where we were standing, but instead of asking me to move one of them sits down and jams his chair way back into me. I shove him back and said "excuse me there, partner". They start mocking, I start talking. Jimmy takes notice and I fill him in. These guys are getting nervous, trying to play nonchalant but it's not working. They keep looking at us, and Jimmy starts saying in a loud volumned growl "What are you looking at, Leather?!!" We were laughing hard, it was so damn funny. They couldn't drink their pitcher fast enough. "See ya, Leather!! See ya, Leather!!"------------ Another time, I needed a place to live when I returned to OSU in Stillwater. Kirkwood and Licthenberger took me in and Jimmy gave me a spot in his room. He was like that. Very brotherly of both guys to give me a roof. Thanks. Eric Teater---------I remember at Duke's Grandad's funeral, they asked if anyone had anything to say. I heard Jimmy stand up and start to talk. I thought "Oh, no! This is going to be uncomfortable!"He had been drinking all day, he said the most respectful things and it surprised me. he had been giving everyone drunken hell day until the funeral. He had a lot of respect for a lot of people. They knew who they were, too.----- I remember one time: Jimmy, Rusty, Mairah and I were going to the Spider Dome (a redneck bar off of Mehan Road, between Stillwater and Perkins). Anyway, we'd been drinking for awhile and laughing, etc.The song by Kid Rock and Cheryl Crow - The Picture came on. Jimmy and I were riding in the back seat and in typical Jimmy fashion, he starts singing Kid Rock, LOUD and then reaches over to me (with fake microphone in hand) and says" OK Duke, you sing Cheryl's lines!". He was always at his best when he was around those who knew him, well. I miss everything about him. Even the things that pissed me off (long list). Duke Thompson
