Lawrence C. Kirk, age 98, passed away Tuesday, April 09, 2013, at his home in Sioux Falls. The family will greet friends from 5:00-7:00 pm followed by a Celebration of Life service at 7:30 pm, Monday, April 15th at Miller Funeral Home, 13th and Main Avenue. A private family committal with military rites will take place at Hills of Rest Memorial Park. Memorials may be directed to the DAV, or memorial gifts can be directed to the John & Nancy Lambros Greek American Studies Fund at the University of Minnesota Foundation. Checks should be made payable to the Univ of MN Foundation with Lambros Fund in the memo section or stub. Gifts can be mailed directly to the Univ of MN Foundation, McNamara Alumni Center, 200 Oak Street S.E. Suite 500, Minneapolis, MN 55455-2010.

Lawrence C. Kirk was born December 9, 1914 to Theodore and Theophany (Sakellaris) Kyriakos. The family settled in Sioux City, Iowa, where Lawrence attended school, graduating from East High in 1934. Following high school, he moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota and took college classes via correspondence at the LaSalle Institute in Chicago and Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

Lawrence entered military service on July 15, 1941 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He served in the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, the 9th Armored Division and the 101st Airborne Division. Serving during World War II, his battles and campaigns included the Rhineland, Central Europe, and the Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge). He also served in special services overseas and state side. While in the service, he earned the EAME Theatre Ribbon with three Bronze Stars, the American Theatre Ribbon, American Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal and the WW II Victory Medal. He received his honorable discharge from the Army on November 4, 1945 at Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky. Lawrence was honored to have been included in Greg Latza’s book, Blue Stars: A selection of stories from South Dakota’s World War II Veterans.

In 1937, Lawrence and his three brothers began Kirk’s Inc., which included restaurants and real estate. He remained actively involved in business with his brothers for fifty years.

Lawrence was united in marriage to Jennie Georgantones on November 9, 1952 in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was a member of the original committee that established the Greek Orthodox Church in Sioux Falls in 1958, the culmination of a fifty-year dream. He was also a member of the AHEPA (American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association), the El Riad Shrine, the VFW, American Legion and DAV. An avid equestrian until the age of 86, he was on the 4H Advisory Horse Group, and had been a member of the YMCA since 1938. In his youth, he was active in all around sports and was a semi-pro boxer.

Lawrence had empathy for people and worked nights so that he could extend a warm welcome and lend a listening ear late into the evenings. He and his brothers were also actively involved in political and civic endeavors.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife Jennie, a son, Peter Kirk, both of Sioux Falls, two daughters, Kathryn Kirk-Malters and her husband Dr. Joseph Malters, of Rolla, Missouri, and Constance Kirk, Portland, Oregon. His parents, sister Mary Karras, and four brothers, George Kirk, Chris Kyriakos, Ted Kirk, and infant John, preceded him in death.