Nila was born in Love County, Oklahoma on November 13, 1931 to Charlie Ed and Myrtle Mae Vinson. She met her life-long sweetheart, Harvey William Kirk, at a roller-skating rink and they were married in Gainesville, Texas on October 29, 1947 and just recently celebrated 73 years of marriage. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and enjoyed spending time with her family.
Nila loved traveling, taking cruises, playing video poker at the casinos, watching sports, and feeding the squirrels on her front porch. She was also a collector of anything with elephants whose trunks were up because they were supposed to be “good luck”! Her favorite past time was watching her daughter and grandchildren dance and spending time at the baseball field watching her son and grandsons play baseball. Nila was a hard worker with a heart of gold who touched the lives of many she worked with. For several years, Nila worked as a cafeteria lady at Red Bluff Elementary where she enjoyed serving meals and snacks to children. She would later go on to be a faithful employee and manager for Queen Oaks Cleaners in Pasadena for 30 plus years. She truly enjoyed talking to her customers and getting to know them. Many of them would come into the cleaners simply to sit and visit with her and many life-long friendships were formed.
Nila is survived by her loving husband, Harvey William Kirk; her sister, Dorothy Arington of Amarillo, Texas; her children, Roger Kirk and his girlfriend Marsha, Cynthia and her husband Don Turner; her grandchildren, Josh Kirk, Katina Morris, and Bryan Peck; her great-grandchildren, Vivian Kirk, Andrew Kirk, and Zachary Morris; numerous nieces, nephews, family and friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Charlie and Myrtle Vinson; her brother Marshall Grover Vinson, her sister Opal Mott, and her brother Bill Vinson.
There will be a public viewing from 5pm to 8pm on Tuesday, December 1st at Grandview Funeral Home located at 8501 Spencer Highway in Pasadena, Texas 77505. A Celebration of Life will be held at 10am on December 2nd at Gateway Community Church located at 760 Clear Lake City Boulevard in Webster, Texas 77598.
