Dr. Charles Alvin Keister Kirkpatrick

Charles was born October 2, 1915 in Blackfoot, Idaho where his family farmed and ranched. During the great depression his parents lost their farm and ranch, forcing them to move the family onto undeveloped land on the Bannock-Shoshone Indian Reservation. There Charlie, as he was called by his family, grew up with 2 brothers and 2 sisters in a small 1 room house without a toilet or running water. He attended school with the Indians, usually riding to school on horseback or riding with his father who drove a horse drawn school wagon. In 1937 he became a Seventh-Day Adventist Christian and finished high school at Gem State Academy. In the fall of 1938 he enrolled at Walla Walla College in pre-medicine. He paid his way through school working at Walla Walla General Hospital, scrubbing and waxing floors, being an orderly and operating the switchboard on weekends. He married Ellen Roth on October 4, 1941, a recent graduate from nursing school. The attack on Pearl Harbor occurred 2 months later. With one year of pre-med remaining, he and Ellen moved to Portland where he enrolled in the School of X-ray Technology at the University of Oregon Medical School. After receiving his R.T., he spent the remaining war years taking portable x-rays for 3 orthopedic surgeons at Kaiser's hospital serving 3 shipyards. Following the war, they returned to Walla Walla where he completed pre-medicine, graduating in 1946. He studied medicine at Loma Linda University's School of Medicine starting in the fall of 1946. A Radiology residency at the White Memorial Hospital was followed by a teaching fellowship where he taught medical students radiographic anatomy. The family, now with 4 children, moved to Bozeman, Montana in April of 1955. He began his Radiology practice where everyone came to know him as “Dr. Kirk”. He expanded his practice to include Livingston and Harlowton and to provide radiology consulting for other small towns in southwestern Montana and Yellowstone Park. Intercity Radiology was formed and by the time he retired in 1985 included 5 radiologists. He also taught radiology technology, with every student passing their Montana State Board examination. In 1963 he earned his private pilot's license and often flew to the other locations. Upon accumulating over 500 hours of accident free flight time he was awarded a “Safe Pilot Award” by the National Pilots Association. He lost Ellen in January of 1993 after 52 years of marriage. Happiness was restored when he married Irene Blain Clarembeau in 1994 who had lost her husband Vern the previous year. Irene, Vern, Charles and Ellen had been close friends since college. He spent 18 very happy years with Irene before she was taken from him in September of 2010. Without her companionship he lost his reason for living and zest for life. Having grown up ranching and farming he loved horses. He raised and rode quarter horses, winning several ribbons with one of them in cutting competitions. He enjoyed growing, cutting and bailing hay for them on a small acreage just east of Bozeman. He also loved music. While in Idaho he was in a group who called themselves “The Idaho Wranglers”, playing for dances in various Idaho towns and broadcasting a weekly half hour radio show. He sang and played both guitar and harmonica. After moving to Bozeman he often sang for various religious meetings. He was an avid sportsman; water skiing, snow skiing, hunting and fishing. He earned a Red Cross water safety instructor's license and for many years donated 2 weeks of every summer directing the water activities for a youth camp at Seeley Lake, teaching children to swim and water ski. He was instrumental in helping Mount Ellis Academy obtain their ski hill then later contributed in the establishment of Bridger Bowl. After retirement he became actively involved with western history He rode and floated many trails and rivers following the path of Lewis and Clark. He served as president of the Headwaters Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Foundation. He also became an expert in Nez Perce history, making close friends with several tribal members who gave him a native name and an authentic teepee. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club, founding member of the Committee of 100 for Walla Walla College, president of the local chapter of the American Red Cross, held various positions with his church and was a generous contributor to many non-profit organizations, churches and schools. He was preceded in death by his sisters; Mildred and Louise, brother; Harold, sons; Glen Edson, and Charles Landis, infant daughter; Heather Shareen, and his wives; Ellen Roth and Irene Clarembeau. He is survived by: daughters Sharon Kirkpatrick of Portland, OR and Heather R. Kirkpatrick of Helena, MT, son William Kirkpatrick of Bozeman and brother Glen Kirkpatrick of Portland, OR. A Funeral Service will be at 10AM, Monday, July 30 at Dahl Funeral Chapel in Bozeman followed by interment in Sunset Hills Cemetery. Visitation Sunday, July 29 from 2 to 5 PM at Dahl Funeral Chapel Memorials may be made in his name to: The local chapter of the American Red Cross, 233 Edelweiss Dr., #9, Bozeman, MT 59718 Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.dahlcares.com