Kirkland Johnstone Towles

Kirkland Johnstone Towles entered into eternal rest on March 28, 2011.  Relatives and friends are invited to attend his funeral service at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church Thursday, March 31, 2011, at 11 am.  Interment  with military honors will follow at Christ St. Pauls Episcopal Church Cemetery, Yonges Island.  The family will receive friends at J. HENRY STUHR, INC., WEST ASHLEY CHAPEL Wednesday from 5 until 7 pm.

Mr. Towles was born in Charleston, SC on March 7, 1928, son of Daniel Quigley Towles and Mary Enid Mixson.  He was raised on a truck farm in Meggett and the areas around Yonges Island and Hollywood, SC.  He was the youngest of seven children with three brothers and three sisters.  He attended the St. Paul's Schools.  He graduated from Porter Military Academy in Charleston in 1945.  He attended The Clemson Agricultural College of SC.  He joined the United States Navy in 1946 and taught Electronics Engineering for 9 � years at Treasure Island, California before receiving an honorable discharge.  While in the Navy he served on several ships during World War II and the Korean War.  He was married to Lois Lucille Anderson for 47 years who predeceased him.  She was the mother of their five children.  He was very interested in his children's activities and participated in many of their projects, music and sports. He retired from his second successful career with the Charleston Naval Shipyard in 1983 after almost 28 years of service as a Supervisory Electronics Engineer. Mr. Towles was a very generous provider for his family.  He learned to do the "Big Apple" at the age 7 from his sister "Dumpy".  He met both of his wives while dancing.  He was a member of the Wappoo Wigglers and Belles and Beaus Square Dance Clubs of Charleston.  He was a proficient wood craftsman.  He made a baby cradle for his first grandchild and many other wood items.  He was certainly a man of many talents.  He enjoyed having friends over to his home to play cards and board games.  He was also a great cook, early morning mall walker for 10 years, enjoyed bowling, camping, and Saturday morning yard sales where he met and made many friends.  He was a member of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, North Charleston Chapter 0072. He was a member of Holy Spirit Lutheran Church. Mr. Towles was loved by many and will be terribly missed.

Mr. Towles is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 14 years, Margaret Thompson Kelly Towles of Charleston and his children, Ronald Dean Towles and his wife Charlene of Jacksonville Beach, FL, Steven Kirk Towles and his wife Sheryl of St. Stephen, SC, Gary John Towles of Charleston, David Alan Towles and his wife Valerie of North Augusta, SC, and Mary Joyce T. Green and her husband Benny Green, Jr. of Union, SC; three step children, Martha Ann Kelly, Kathleen Marie Kelly and Robert Allen Kelly all of Charleston; eight grandchildren, two step grandchildren, five great-grand children, several nieces and nephews. He is also survived by one sister, Enid Joyce (Dumpy) Barnwell of Yonges Island, SC.  He is predeceased by his parents, his three brothers, Daniel Quigley Towles, Jr., Josiah Francis Towles, William Brabham Towles and two sisters, Mary Beatrice T. Adams and Martha Catherine T. Von Kolnitz.

Special thanks to Dr. Carnohan for his guidance through our crisis and to Kathleen Kelly for her love and endurance to watch over Kirk since his auto accident in 2007.  Many thanks to all the staff at the Veterans Victory House and Nursing Home for their TLC towards our loved one they affectionately called Captain Kirk and to Martha Kelly for providing me weekly transportation to Walterboro to visit him. 

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, 3075 Bees Ferry Road, Charleston, SC  29414 or the Veterans Victory House, 2461 Sidney's Road, Walterboro, SC 29488 as a living memorial in his memory.