Kenneth "Arnold" Kirwan, 88, of Kearney died Friday, July 06, 2012 at St. Luke's Good Samaritan Village in Kearney.
Funeral services were Tuesday, July 10, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Kearney. The Rev. Karla Gunn officiated. Burial was at the Kearney Cemetery with Military Rites conducted by the Kearney American Legion Post #52, Kearney V.F.W. Post #759 and the United States Navy Military Honors Team.
Visitation was Monday at Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney, with the family greeting friends.
He was born Sept. 13, 1923 in Elwood, to George and Alvera (Youngquist) Kirwan.
He graduated from Lexington High School in 1943. On Aug, 6, 1944 he married Dorothy Nelson in Bertrand.
He is a veteran of WWII, serving in the U.S. Navy from 1944 – 1946. After the Navy, Arnold worked around Loomis as a well driller for a year. Then he farmed near Lexington until they moved south of Kearney in 1948 where they farmed until 1966. In 1967 Arnold started selling John Deere farm equipment. He owned and operated Kirwan Implement in Holdrege from 1974 until 1981. He then worked as a custodian at the Kearney Clinic and First United Methodist Church. Later he worked at Mirror Image car wash. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Kearney, V.F.W. Post #759, Kearney American Legion Post # 52, Kearney Eagles Lodge #2722 and the Kearney Elks Lodge #984.
Arnold didn't know a stranger, and he could strike up a conversation with anyone. He enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, gardening, and taking care of his lawn.
Surviving are his wife, Dorothy of Kearney; daughters, Pat (Dennis) Swearingen of Holdrege, Kris (Dave) Noetzelman of Kearney, daughter-in-law, Teresa (Ken) Erickson of Atlanta, Neb.; sisters, LaRae Drew of Mississippi, Maribell Irwin of Odessa, Neb.; brothers, Raymond (Donna) Kirwan of Littleton, Colo., LaRoue Kirwan of Saratoga, Calif., Myron (Jean) Kirwan of Imperial, Emil (Virginia) Kirwan of Kansas City, Kan., David Kirwan of Stockton, Calif.; eight grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two sons Jim and Robert Kirwan, and one daughter Kathryn.
Memorials are suggested to First United Methodist Church or Asera Care Hospice.
Visit www.hlmkfuneral.com to leave a message of condolence, tribute or memory. Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney are in charge of arrangements.
