Reverend Fred Kirkpatrick, Jr., age 93, passed away September 11, 2024, at his home in Salina, Kansas. After 77 years of pastoring, he has gone to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
A devoted Pastor, Husband, Father, Grandfather and Great-Grandfather, Fred dedicated his life to serving Jesus in everything he did.
He was born on October 21, 1930, in Dodge City, Kansas, to Fred Kirkpatrick, Sr. and Eva Lodema (Badgley) Kirkpatrick. The grandson of one of the early Dodge City founders, J.M. Kirkpatrick, Fred often shared stories of old Dodge City and its more raucous days which his grandfather had witnessed.
Before television was invented, his family gathered around the big old radio in the living room to listen to the gospel being preached and he found salvation in Jesus Christ. As a young boy, Fred saw the patrons frequenting the many bars and saloons along Front Street and witnessed to them about Jesus and His redemptive power.
At the young age of 17, Fred felt called to attend Fort Wayne Bible College (now Taylor University) in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and become a minister. During the years he attended there, he and Sally Hoofnagle, also from Dodge City, were married and began a life adventure together on May 30, 1950. They lived in Fort Wayne until he completed Bible college.
Following graduation and ordination, the Kirkpatricks moved to Great Bend, Kansas, where they started their first church on Main Street in 1952. As that church grew, he moved the little white chapel building to East 19th street and held services. And finally, he and the congregation purchased the old County Farm west of Great Bend, where it became known as Faith Community Church and Bible College.
An engineer by trade, he worked for many decades at E.B.H. Engineers in Great Bend, designing and constructing countless community infrastructure projects. He loved that work and took the message of the Gospels with him daily. Through his testimony, many people came to know the saving Grace of Jesus Christ.
His passion for Christ drove every aspect of his life. Fred’s vision for a great revival meant not only holding thrice weekly services at Faith Community Church, but also holding nightly services in small communities and homes across Kansas – Mondays in Bunker Hill, Tuesdays in Pratt, Thursdays in Hays and Ellis, Fridays at Full Gospel Businessmen’s meetings across the entire state and Sunday afternoons at the County Jail.
He brought the Billy Graham Film Crusades, Teen Challenge meetings and Women’s Aglow to the area. He was also a State Director for Women’s Aglow for many years. Through his leadership and stewardship in these endeavors, many gave their lives to Christ and followed him into the ministry where they serve still today.
After losing his wife Sally to cancer, Fred married Glenda (Mountford) Jahnke on September 22, 1989. This year marks their 35 years working together for Christ. They brought comfort to many through a ministry of teaching, singing and praising the Lord across Kansas and beyond.
Preaching over 15,000 sermons, Fred’s central message never wavered: The grace of God brings salvation. He always taught that God in His great love sent His only Son into the world to be sacrificed for all of mankind’s sins. And in that simple message, many found the “peace that passes all understanding.” Hearts were changed, families healed, broken bodies mended, and encouragement filled the hearts of those wherever he went.
He was preceded in death by his first wife Sally, his parents, Fred and Eva Kirkpatrick, plus siblings Kay and Kenton Kirkpatrick.
He is survived by his wife Glenda of the home; his loving children, Kristi (Bruce) Kraisinger, Kevin (Paula Stout) Kirkpatrick, and Linda (Doug) Basye, Dr. Lavelle (Doug Stickland) Ellis, and Rev. Broc (Alicia) Jahnke. He had 21 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren at the time of his passing.
As an honor to his life’s work, he requested no funeral service so that Jesus may be glorified rather than the works of one man. There will be a praise and worship service at Faith Community Church, 293 W. Barton County Road, Great Bend, Kansas at on October 5, 2024, at 2:00 p.m.
Pastor Kirkpatrick planned this service in advance of his death, and he wanted to have a joyous celebration of his homecoming to heaven. The family has requested in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Faith Community Church, in care of Bryant Funeral Home, 1425 Patton Rd., Great Bend, KS 67530.
The family wants to extend to all friends, a generous and prayerful “thank you” for your faithfulness to God’s work down through the years. May God grant you all the Grace and Peace that Fred found those many years ago as a young man in Western Kansas.