John A. KIRK, 66, of 105 South 20th Street, a former Mt. Vernon city attorney and one of Southern Illinois' best known lawyers, died at 12:15 a.m. today at Good Samaritan Hospital.

Mr. KIRK, who began his law practice here in 1935, had been in failing health for some time.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Myers-Baril Chapel. Dr. Clyde FUNKHOUSER will officiate and burial will be in Kirk Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral chapel after 6:00 p.m. Wednesday.

From the day he opened his law practice here, Mr. KIRK found time to work on projects for the betterment of the community. In his quiet unassuming way, he worked free of charge for organizations which strived to make Mt. Vernon and Jefferson County a better place to live. An example was years ago when Attorney KIRK drew up papers which resulted in establishment of the Mt. Vernon Airport Authority. He refused to accept a penny for this task, an important one for the future of the airport which has become one of the best small-city ports in the nation.

On March 18, 1937 he was married at Vandalia, to Lelah TAYLOR, who survives.

Mr. KIRK was city attorney from 1938 to 1946. He served as chairman of the Jefferson County Red Cross for five years. He was a member of the board of directors of the First Bank and Trust Co., and was a member of the board of the Mt. Vernon Savings and Loan Association. Mr. KIRK was a member of the Moose and Elks Lodges and the American Bar Association. Since 1957 he has been associated with Don MUSICK in the law firm of KIRK and MUSICK.

Besides his wife, he is survived by his mother, Anna, of Mt. Vernon; two sons, John M. KIRK of Decatur and Danny D. KIRK of DuQuoin; one daughter, Linda REED of Grand Rapids, Mich.; a brother Dr. Max KIRK of Houston, Tex.; three grandchildren; two nieces and two nephews. He was preceded in death by his father

Source: The Register-News, Mt. Vernon, IL
Date: Tuesday, May 17, 1977
Submitted by Mary Zinzilieta