Sally Lee Carney Kirk

Sally Lee Carney Kirk, 83 of Mt. Pleasant, SC passed away at home on Sunday, March 11, 2012 surrounded by her loving family. The relatives and friends of Mrs. Sally Kirk are invited to attend her Funeral Service on Saturday, March 17, 2012 in J. HENRY STUHR, MOUNT PLEASANT CHAPEL at 12:30 pm. Interment will follow in Mount Pleasant Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends at the Mount Pleasant Chapel from 11:00 am until 12:30 pm and immediately following the burial.

Sally Kirk was born on December 5, 1928 in Leeville, Tennessee, daughter of the late James Thomas Carney and Ola Mai Denney Carney. After living in Ashland City, TN and Detroit, Michigan the family returned to Leeville, where she graduated from Lebanon High School. When the family relocated to Oak Ridge, TN, she completed a Nursing School curriculum at Fort Sanders Hospital in nearby Knoxville. While working as a Registered Nurse, Sally met her husband of 57 years, Dr. Robert F. Kirk, while he was a medical student at University of TN. The couple married and moved to Oakland, CA as her husband began his 20 year career in the United States Navy as a Captain and practicing physician. Sally enthusiastically embraced her role as military wife, mother of three and all the adventures involved in the family's frequent moves to places including Bremerton, WA, Portsmouth, VA, Argentia, Newfoundland, Jacksonville, FL and Philadelphia, PA. In 1973 following Dr Kirk's retirement from the military, the family moved to Mt. Pleasant, SC as Dr. Kirk began a 25 year career practicing and teaching at the Medical University of South Carolina. Sally continued her work as a RN at Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia and West Ashley Internal Medicine in Charleston, SC.

While Sally was an enthusiast of many activities including camping, sailing, running, golf and painting, her true passion was seen in her relationships with others, especially her children and nine grandchildren to whom she was exceptionally devoted. Her unique gift was her compassionate and giving nature which drove her to touch the lives of so many. This loving spirit lives forever in those who were blessed to know her.

She was an active member of the First Baptist Church in Mount Pleasant, teaching Bible study classes, singing in the choir, and providing support for the elderly and infirm. Her missionary work included medical trips to Guatemala, Kenya and Romania as well as a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Sally completed the Stephen Ministry training and also served as Worthy Matron, Alhambra Chapter in the Order of Eastern Star.

Sally is survived by two children, Dr. Harry Kirk, Peggy Kirk Courtney and her husband, Lawrence of Mount Pleasant, SC; two sisters, Gladys Ogle of Austin, TX and Jo Dean Ligon of Crossville, TN, nine grandchildren, McClain Kirk, Seth Kirk and Paige Kirk, all of KY, Dimitri Kirk-Gordon of Atlanta, GA, Kirk Fowler, Chap Fowler and Sean Fowler, Blake Fowler and Will Courtney all of Mount. Pleasant, SC. She was preceded in death by a son, James Michael Kirk and husband, Dr. Robert F. Kirk.


Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Mt. Pleasant, 681 McCants Drive, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 or Lutheran Hospice, 900 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Suite 200, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464.