WALNUT — Earl G. Kirkpatrick, 89, of Walnut died at 8:12 p.m. Thursday, March 15, 2012, at Girard Medical Center, where he was admitted on Saturday.

He was born June 5, 1922, in Bentonville, Ark., to John Wesley and Olive Jane (Williams) Kirkpatrick. He moved with his family to Chanute as a teenager.

He served in the U.S. Army during World War II in an anti-aircraft unit in the European, African and Middle Eastern theaters. He served on D-Day during the invasion of Normandy, receiving numerous awards and citations, including the Purple Heart.

He married Marie A. Bollig on June 13, 1949, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Chanute. She preceded him in death June 24, 2009.

He worked as a heavy equipment operator and on the section gang for the Santa Fe Railroad before retiring in 1986.

They were farmers at Walnut since 1963 after living in the Earlton and Kimball areas.

He was a member of the former St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Walnut and a member of St. Francis Catholic Church in St. Paul and the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Chanute.

He enjoyed his family, farming and working.

Survivors include a daughter, Kathy Westhoff and her husband, Claude, of Walnut; seven sons, Eugene Kirkpatrick and his wife, Kathy, of Sun City, Ariz., Kenny Kirkpatrick and his wife, Debbie, of Wichita, Ron Kirkpatrick and his wife, Charlene, Daniel Kirkpatrick and his wife, Marsha, Chris Kirkpatrick and his wife, Stacy, all of Walnut, Steven Kirkpatrick and his wife, Tina, of Girard and Tom Kirkpatrick and his wife, Marla, of Erie; 21 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and a brother, Elmer Kirkpatrick of Bushton.

He was preceded in death by a daughter-in-law, Patty Kirkpatrick; three brothers, Roy Kirkpatrick, Cecil Kirkpatrick and Carl Kirkpatrick; and three sisters, Dorothy Dillow, Betty Kirkpatrick and Gladys Kirkpatrick.

The Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Walnut with the Rev. Roger Lumbre as celebrant. Burial will be in the National Cemetery in Fort Scott with military honors conducted by the Fort Riley funeral detail. The rosary will be prayed at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the church, where the family will receive friends following the rosary.

Memorials are suggested to Walnut Community Service and may be left at the church or Smith-Carson-Wall Funeral Home, 518 W. St. John, Box 258, Girard, 66743.

Condolences may be sent to www.wallfuneralservices.com.