Edward Eugene Kirkland

Ed was a devoted husband to Brenda, his wife of 47 years. Proud dad to daughters Kristi (Jeramie) and Andrea; beloved granddaddy to Bryson (Terry), Hannah, and Ashton, and a soon to be Great Granddaddy. A man whose life was built on love, laughter, and a relentless curiosity for how things worked. He called himself a “jackass of all trades,” which might be the only thing he underestimated. In reality, there wasn’t much Ed couldn’t do.

After he returned from the Vietnam War his love of woodworking began and it didn’t stop after his retirement from FSU. Through the years, he became a master carpenter, MG mechanic, and an inventor of contraptions only he understood. Whether building cabinets, crafting butcher block tables, fixing things, or teaching life lessons, every project, every laugh, every lesson was an act of love, steady, wholehearted, and unforgettable.

Ed had a mischievous sense of humor that made life unforgettable. Quick with a joke, stubborn when it mattered, and always ready to try something just because it could be done, he made ordinary moments extraordinary. Homemade cannons, that made the house rattle and occasionally left the neighbors wondering what exactly he was up to, “quick projects” that weren’t quick at all, and fixes no one else could imagine; life with Ed was never boring.

Ed leaves behind more than memories and an empty shop. He leaves laughter that will echo for years, lessons that show up in the smallest moments, and a standard of love, hard work, and humor that’s impossible to forget. There may be unfinished projects in the shop, but the life he built and the love he gave were never one of them.

And in true Ed fashion, if you want to honor him, hit play on Gene Watson’s Farewell Party and have a salt rimmed margarita.

A Celebration of Life will be at a later date this summer.