Graveside service:
November 1, 2016, Los Gatos Memorial Cemetery
2255 Los Gatos-Almaden Rd., San Jose, Ca
Lot 925, Space 3, Double Depth, Veterans Section
Welcome, Thank you all for coming
Pall Bearers:
Jack T. Kirk Sr., Jack T. Kirk Jr., Jared Kirk, Stephen Leon, Carl Thompson, Stephen White
Attending: Jack and Catherine Kirk, Janis (Kirk) Washburn, Kim (Washburn) Leon her husband Steven Leon and son Christopher, Jack T. Kirk Jr, Jared and Tierney Kirk with children Evan, Blake and Owen. Steve and Adair White, Carl and Francine Thompson, son and daughter-in-law of Noreen (Stewart) and Carl Thompson. Nancy Tucker the sister of Catherine Kirk.
On Friday evening October 28, 2016 in Sedro-Woolley Washington, the Washburn Family: Dwight, Janis with Josh and Chelsea and their daughter Natalia, Koree and Jordan and their children Isabella, Emily, Tommy, Jordan met as a family with Mom in open casket at the Lemley Chapel at 1008 Third St. They had a nice family time with their Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother.
Innovation: Catherine Kirk
Insight to Eleanor’s heritage and life: Jack T. Kirk Sr
Born: July 11, 1916 in Fosteria (Paloma), Calaveras County, California
Passed: October 23, 2016 in Burlington Washington at the age of 100 years and 3 months.
She was born to Julia Marie Field and James Autis Cain. Grandpa Cain worked in the Kennedy and Argonaut Mines in the Jackson California area and lost his life in a deer hunting accident on December 6, 1918 at the age of 25 years. He was born in Fresno on July 8, 1893. When visiting Bodie, Calif., which is a gold mining ghost town off of Hwy 299, Cathy and I visited the Cain House. The Cain’s were a significant family in that area. I am not sure how they were related to Grandpa Cain, but the name is not that common and there is the common gold mining theme.
Grandmother Julia was left a widow with two daughters, Agnes Marguerite Cain, born April 23, 1914 (92) and Eleanor born on July 11, 1916 (100+3 months).
Julia married Grandpa Frederick Arthur Stewart who was born in Jackson California on October 3, 1897. This is the Grandpa that Jan and I knew.
Two more daughters were born to this union, Noreen Jean Stewart (Thompson) born October 6, 1921 and passing May 29, 2010 (89) and Winnifred Arlene Stewart (Siebecke) born March 27, 1927 and passing March 27, 2003 (76).
The Stewarts later moved from Jackson to Stockton. Our Father Jack Elmer Kirk grew up in San Jose and Campbell and moved to Stockton with his parents as he was starting high school. Our Dad was raised by his step-Father Raymond Kirk whose name he took. He reconnected with his Father Charles Leroy Thomas and step Mother, Selma Henrietta (Hansen) Thomas, while serving on the USS Saratoga during WW2. Stockton is where he met our Mother while attending high school together. They were married on April 15, 1936 in Stockton. Dad was 19 and Mom was 20. On their marriage license it says Dad was 21 and Mom was 19…… so something was up to obtain permission to marry. They were married by a Catholic Priest even though Dad was a Protestant.
Sometimes when parents frustrate their kids, especially during the teenage years, we probably all have wondered “It isn’t fair, we didn’t pick them as our Parents”…. In our case after 16 years of marriage, our parents picked my sister Janis Lynn Kirk who was born July 3, 1952 and picked me 2 years later, Jack Thomas Kirk, after I was born July 14, 1954. I was just over 3 months old when they brought me home.
For years I have worked with youth through Boy Scouts and the youth programs of my Church. At times when kids would express their frustration with their parents, I would tell them,
“You know the hardest thing to learn about your parents is that they are just people who are trying to do their best with what life has dealt them.”
Well our Mom was just a person who did her best with her life. We’ve had some really great times and some tough times. I know one of the hardest for me was during my junior year of high school when I went to live with my Father. My parents reunited about 18 months later after my Father and I had joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
After 44 years of marriage, Dad passed on July 23, 1980 and Mom then lived without him for the next 36 years.
One memory that I always remember is Mom picking Jan and I up from school in the 1958 Buick. It was a rainy day in the Cambrian neighborhood of San Jose. We stopped at the store to pick up some groceries and Mom bought us each a new Yo-Yo. This was the hot toy at the time. When we arrived home on Branham Lane, we arrived to the smell of fresh baked homemade bread. We ate those fresh bread slices with butter and jam. It was a cozy happy afternoon inside with our Mom. The other day I dug through my old toy box and found these two Yo-Yo’s.
Here is one for Jan so we can both remember that warm rainy day with fresh homemade bread that Mom made us.
Other things:
 Mom was afraid to clean my room as I was always running wires around with my inventions, and she was afraid she would get shocked.
 She attended most of my wrestling matches during junior high school and high school.
 The day that Dave Hall picked a fight with me during my freshman year at Leigh High School, in Science class, which I completely finished, she took my side with the principle. I was suspended for a few days but when I went home with her she let me go complete my lawn mowing jobs on Mary Jane Way.
 She always remembered everyone’s birthday, marriage dates, etc. She was the family historian.
 As an adult I received a birthday card and $1.00 per year of age. I always reported to her what I bought with this gift of money.
 Her long term income tax preparer, Larry Snyder, spoke to me today. He really liked my Mom and said for his input “Eleanor was extremely honest in dealing with her taxes.”
What stories would you like to share about Mom?
 Cathy spoke about Mom being a calming person when she was in labor with Megan. She told about how quickly Mom got dressed in scrubs and was able to be in the delivery room to witness Megan’s birth.
 Janis (Kirk) Washburn spoke about the great fishing trips at Sorenson’s Resort. About catching trout and staying at the rustic cabins. She also told that Mom had always sewed Jan’s clothes. When Jan was going to attend prom, even though money was very tight, Mom splurged and bought her a prom dress and shoes. Mom also took her to the beauty parlor to have her hair done.
 Steve White spoke about growing up around Mom and her telling him he needed to eat more, she wanted to adopt him and telling him how much she loved her family. Steve also talked about going on a trip with our family to Sorenson’s Resort and eating too much when we went to diner.
Special Music:
Mom really liked the singing voice of Marty Robbins; in fact Jan’s daughter Koree Washburn thought Marty Robbins was her Grandpa. Bear with us as we play “A White Sport Coat and a Pink Carnation”.
Jared Kirk would like to share a few closing comments:
My dad asked me to share a few brief thoughts today about how death fits into God’s plan for us. I know all of us gathered here today come from different backgrounds and beliefs but will share a few things that I believe to be true. I think it is natural at this time for all of us to consider the following questions as we contemplate the life of this great lady, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother: where did we come from, why are we here, and where do we go after this life?
I believe that God has a plan for us, which is a plan for our happiness. We are children of God, who loves us more than we can comprehend. In the book of Genesis in the Bible we learn that “God created man in his own image.” In the scriptures we are taught that we are all literally children of God and as His children, we can be assured that we have divine, eternal potential and that He will help us in our sincere efforts to reach that potential.
As I consider this, I think back to my childhood and young adult years. I lived with my wonderful parents, who taught and guided me while I lived in their home. I eventually graduated high school and reached a point where I would leave my home to go to college. I ventured out to make my own way in life. My parents gave me all of the tools that I needed to be successful but I reached the point where I needed to gain my own experience in order to further grow into adulthood and to reach my potential. I could still call home and get advice and my parents would keep in contact to make sure I was on the right path. I would come home for the holidays, summer vacations, or for special occasions.
This is kind of like our life here. We lived with God but were ultimately placed here in this life to learn and grow, to feel joy and pain, happiness and sorrow. These experiences are necessary for us to reach our potential and will help us in the life to come. Just as I received guidance from my parents after I left home and when to college, our Heavenly Father has given us the Holy Ghost to help guide us while we are here in this life. We can call home through prayer and receive advice and guidance through reading the Bible and other scripture. While we do not remember living with our Heavenly Father nor do we return to Him for the holidays or summer vacations, we can feel close to him throughout our lives, especially during times like these as we gather to remember a loved one who has returned home to Him.
Our time here is meant to be temporary and we all experience physical death at some point.Our Heavenly Father knew that we would all make mistakes along the way as we learned and gained experience. That is why He sent His son to teach us and ultimately suffer for our sins and die for us. As a result of His sacrifice, Jesus Christ made it possible for our spirits and physical bodies to be reunited, or resurrected, and for us to receive forgiveness for our shortcomings and mistakes, and ultimately to live again with our Heavenly Father. This truth caused the Apostle Paul to exclaim in 1 Corinthians 15:
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the scriptures we learn of the period between death and the resurrection that Paul described: “And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.” I am sure that as we are here mourning the passing of Eleanor Kirk, she is resting from all her cares, sorrows, aches and pains, and just think… she is missing the drama of the presidential election. If only we were as lucky.
I will share one last scripture that describes the resurrection. It states: “Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death. The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now…. Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but everything shall be restored to its perfect frame.”
I will end by saying that I love you Grandma and I look forward to that time when we will all be reunited as family and friends. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Dedication of grave site: Jack Thomas Kirk Sr.
We then all stayed as the cemetery workers lowered her casket into the grave vault. Jan and Jack then placed a flower from her many beautiful bouquets on Mom’s casket.
Lunch:
We then went to “Chef Li” Chinese restaurant at 2033 Camden Ave in San Jose for lunch. It was tradition to have Mom, the Washburn Family and the Kirk Family meet about Christmas Eve at a Chinese restaurant and eat together. Thank you, Mom, for treating all of us to lunch