Kirk Hungerford

Kirk Jay Hungerford

April 26, 1957 – May 25, 2020

Kirk Jay Hungerford was born in Enid, Oklahoma on April 26, 1957 to parents, Ken and Marilyn Hungerford of Helena, Oklahoma. Kirk became the youngest of five boys, which included his older brothers, Kim, Kip, Craig and Chris. Kirk was later blessed with two younger sisters, Candace and Colette. Kirk passed from this life on May 25, 2020 after a long battle with cancer.

Kirk enjoyed doing many things in his youth at Helena. He obviously loved tormenting his brothers and sisters, and they all returned the favor while growing up. Kirk joined his brothers in several ventures in their youth, one of which included delivering newspapers around town. There is a family story even to this day that there may have been a few newspapers that didn’t get delivered on occasion, and depending on which brother you talk to, the story is always slightly different.

From there Kirk and his brothers decided to jump into the lawn mowing business, and apparently they had quite the operation going, as Kirk claimed the “boss” (Kim) always had plenty of work lined up for them.

When he was in junior high school, Kirk, Kip, Craig and Nick Werner got into the show pig business. Lots of stories and memories were made and told during this operation. It also provided a great deal of work and time consumption for the boys, which was probably exactly what Ken was hoping for. Kirk was a member of FFA and showed several pigs that were the products of their operation, and he had some success doing so.

Kirk also loved fishing, and if they were not biting, it usually turned into an opportunity to go swimming with his friends. Those childhood friends were aplenty, but usually he could be found with Mark Sturgeon and Delbert Hill. That group claimed they always had the same “uniform” which was blue jean cutoffs, white t-shirts and buzz cuts. Times and dress code changed over the years, but their close friendship always remained.

In high school Kirk played baseball and was known to be quite the 3rd baseman. He played a lot of summer baseball as well. Football, though, was Kirk’s favorite sport and one in which he excelled. Kirk was awarded the 8 Man All State football award as a defensive end after his senior year in 1975.

After high school Kirk attended Oklahoma State University and was a member of the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity. As Kirk would tell it, this experience was pretty much like the movie “Animal House” before it actually became a movie.

Soon after that the oil field came calling. Kirk and Craig worked together on several rigs throughout the years until Kirk moved to Pratt, Kansas to check and oversee wells there.

Eventually, Kirk came back to Alfalfa County where he began taking care of the Hungerford Oil & Gas wells. Kirk finished up his working years doing some more rig work before calling it a career.

Kirk always liked to stay active and he absolutely loved playing golf. During the late ‘80s and ‘90s if Oakwood Golf Course didn’t have Kirk playing on it, it was not a normal day. He also enjoyed watching his nephews and nieces play sports, and he followed them closely throughout their sports careers.

Kirk loved his sisters Candace and Colette greatly and was very protective of them as well. During Kirk’s later years, he and Colette became very close as they shared a lot of time together while Kirk was fighting his “cancer fight.”

Kirk had a big heart and was always willing to help someone out if he was able to. He also had a great sense of humor and was never without a good “dad” joke, which he loved to tell anyone and everyone.

Kirk is predeceased by his mother, Marilyn; father, Ken; brothers, Kim and Chris, as well as his sister, Candace.

He is survived by his sister, Colette and husband, Marty of Stillwater, brother, Craig and wife, Debbie of Wichita Falls, Texas and brother, Kip and wife, Rhonda of Helena.

His nephews include Caleb McBride of Stillwater, Kyle and Kory Hungerford of Helena, and Kasey Hungerford of Ft. Worth, Texas. His nieces are Brittany (McBride) Johnson and husband, Van of Balko, Bethany (McBride) Lanie and husband, Trent of Wakita, Bailey (McBride) Sneed and husband, Trey of Stillwater, and Jenifer Hungerford of Ft. Worth, Texas.

Kirk received over the top care at the Integris Hospice Center in Oklahoma City, so the family requests any memorials be made to the hospice center through Lanman Funeral Home in Helena.

Everyone is welcome to the memorial service for Kirk which will be at the First Christian Church in Helena on Saturday, June 6, 2020 at 10:00 am.  Arrangements are by Lanman Funeral Home, Inc. of Helena.  www.lanmanmemorials.com  Facebook:  Lanman Funeral Home Inc.