JACKSONVILLE  -  Joseph ("Joe") C VanKirk, Jr. passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at Onslow Memorial Hospital.  A memorial service is being planned to take place in Minnesota.

Mr. VanKirk was born on October 22, 1936 in Rochester, MN—a place to which he would return when his children were old enough to learn how to skate on the frozen Oronoco River—but his wanderlust and curiosity took him on adventures throughout North America:  exploring glaciers in Alaska, scuba diving in Hawaii, climbing active volcanos, getting chased by elephant seals in a remote cove, and camping wherever he could find a pretty spot near an interesting trail.

His life unfolded differently than one might have guessed but the first son of an Ayrshire dairy farmer always seemed to return to three things:  exploring new places, things and ideas; enjoying the company of interesting people; and learning along the way.  That curiosity initially took him from the dairy farm to the University of Minnesota where, most importantly, he met the love of his life, Barbara, who was his safe harbor and collaborator until the end.

There are too many stories to relate about how Joe touched the lives of those around him, so I'll mention just one.  After moving his young family from San Jose, California to Jacksonville, NC, Joe and Barbara were concerned about how to enable their children to make new friends and develop some positive interests.  He received a flyer in the mailbox about a fledging organization, the Eastern Carolina Soccer Association, and he had his answer.  He took his young family to the organizing meeting and by the end of it had signed up for coaching a team despite never having seen the game being played.  There were some growing pains that year as he read books on the game and asked anyone knowledgeable that would talk to him how he could improve as a coach but by year three he was coaching two teams and competing for championships. Instinctively he always knew the most important things that he had to do: show up and care and work at getting better.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph I. And Alice Swanson VanKirk.

Survivors include his teacher and true love, Barbara Van Kirk, as well as his two children, Karin Brooks and Joseph T Van Kirk, and four grandchildren.