Kay Kirkpatrick

A distinguished member of the Baton Rouge community who left a legacy of many accomplishments passed away on Sunday, May 10, 2026, at The Crossing at Clarity Hospice in Baton Rouge. Edith Kay Kirkpatrick, known to family and friends as Kay, was born in Jennings, Louisiana, on July 14, 1946. Her parents, Edith and Claude Kirkpatrick, shaped Kay’s life and instilled in their daughter a powerful sense of faith, family and public service. Kay’s mother and father led her and her brothers, Tommy and Kris, by example.

Her father, Claude, was a successful businessman who served two terms in the Louisiana legislature, Director of Louisiana Department of Public Works, and was the administrator of the Baton Rouge General Hospital.

Her mother, Edith, was an accomplished musician who attended a summer session at the Julliard School of Music in New York, received a BA in music from Louisiana College and a Master of Arts and Music from LSU. She also served on the State Board of Trustees for Higher Education and the Louisiana Board of Regents.

In 1957, the Kirkpatricks were named the first “All American Family” of Louisiana.

Kay had many talents and at the age of 12 became a childhood prodigy playing a piano solo with the New Orleans Philharmonic Symphony. When Kay was 13, the family moved to Baton Rouge where she attended Lee High School.

She was very active in high school being voted Most Likely to Succeed and Student Body Vice-President. In 1963, Kay attended Louisiana Girls’ State and was asked to return as a counselor in 1964. For decades she volunteered her time to the organization and was a regular speaker for the Girls’ State conventions.

She loved music but, much to her mother’s chagrin, upon graduation she chose another career path. She wanted to attend law school but at the time there were very few women in law school and most law firms were not hiring women. So, Kay pursued a Masters and then a Ph.D in Speech and Psycholinguistics which she completed in 1972.

While at LSU, Kay joined the Chi Omega sorority and became an officer. She was very active in Angel Flight, rose in the ranks of the organization, and soon became a National Commander in Angel Flight. This led her to friendships with future astronauts and later attending a space shuttle launch.

Kay was always a renaissance woman. In addition to excelling in her studies and being a member of the ODK Chapter at LSU, she was a Campus Beauty. In her senior year at LSU, Kay went on an archaeological dig in Israel. She also played in Intramural Sports including soccer and tennis.

After completing her Ph.D, she began to see more opportunities for women in the legal profession and decided to pursue a career in law and passed the bar in 1977.

As she explored the job market, an opportunity she never considered presented itself and she joined the office of Baton Rouge District Attorney Ossie Brown. Kay loved the intellectual challenge and the research involved in appellate argument. She then became the person to go to state Appeals Courts and the Supreme Court on behalf of the District Attorney. When Bryan Bush was elected in1984 he retained her in this position. And then another unexpected opportunity presented itself.

In 1988, Governor Buddy Roemer was elected and the governor’s office wisely chose Kay to be the Assistant Executive Counsel to the Governor. In this position, her work expanded beyond criminal law to issues involving the environment, public finance, education and many other policy issues. Kay loved this position and especially being “in the room” when important decisions impacting citizens and government were being made.

Kay represented the governor during the legislative session. She found the hearing process tedious but it was an opportunity to hear the “cacophony” (as she put it) of constituent voices. Kay found the process to be instructive and “endlessly fulfilling.”

In her various legal positions, Kay always felt that any discussion should begin with the law and not a preconceived outcome. So, her next job was the perfect step for her.

In 1992, newly elected Attorney General Richard Ieyoub chose her to be the Deputy Attorney General in charge of the Civil Division. At the time, this division handled the majority of the office’s work. It was in this role that she became part of the team negotiating with the U.S. Department of Justice in their suit challenging the organization and governance of the state’s higher education system. They specifically challenged the existence of historically black institutions. Many changes followed this litigation.

Those changes involved cross-campus degrees and increased diversity on campuses. As a result, Kay believed that the state and the Department of Justice had an increased awareness of the value of HBCU’s.

In her role, she participated in extended negotiations, again with the U. S. Justice Department on prisons and juvenile justice facilities. Additionally, on the state level, Louisiana pursued royalty cases. She was one of the front-line negotiators and litigators in the state’s case against Texaco.

"Fight for the things that you care about but do it in a way that will lead others to join you." This quote by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg best describes Kay’s style of negotiation. Kay always spoke softly but her intellect, strength of conviction and the ability to clearly and powerfully articulate her position made her a formidable opponent – no matter who was on the other side. Anyone who underestimated that did so at their own risk.

Kay’s final position in government was as General Counsel for the University of Louisiana System. This provided the opportunity to return to the higher education structure that was part of the earlier litigation and to be part of the state’s release from the Higher Education Desegregation Settlement she helped negotiate.

In every position she held and in every organization she belonged to, Kay was revered and respected by those who worked with her and for her.

Kay Kirkpatrick was devout in her faith and her family was her greatest source of pride. She was the sparring partner for her brother Tommy, (Colonel K), also a lawyer and part of the Judge Advocate Corps for the U.S. Army. She was the diplomatic and community partner for her brother Kris, a lawyer and former chief of staff for U.S. Senator Russell Long and a partner in the Long Law Firm.

Every friend knew every accomplishment of her nieces and nephews. They all knew they could go to Aunt Kay for support in every endeavor and that she would be a confidante in all things.

Relationships were important to Kay and she maintained friendships for life. She was a kind and loyal friend who was the first to offer comfort and was willing to jump in to support her friends’ causes as well. When she became friends with former LSU gymnastics’ coach, D-D Breaux, she immediately became a top-level sponsor, bought season tickets and, of course, involved her whole family in the sport.

Kay was a strong advocate for Title IX. She joined in the fight for better opportunities and facilities for women’s sports including the LSU Gymnastics’ Training Center.

Kay had diverse interests and got her recreational pilot’s license before she could register to vote. True to her adventurous spirit, she loved saltwater fishing, went fly fishing in Alaska, learned to sail, and played golf. She loved to read, attend concerts and argue about politics.

Kay was an avid LSU sports fan. She had season tickets to Football, Gymnastics and Women’s Basketball.

True to her parents’ philanthropic example as well as her dedication to public service, Kay created the E. Kay Kirkpatrick Endowed Superior Graduate Scholarship in Pubic Law.

She was predeceased by her parents, Edith and Claude Kirkpatrick; her brothers Claude Kent Kirkpatrick and Thomas Killgore Kirkpatrick; and her niece, Sandra Karen Kirkpatrick.

She is survived by her brother, Charles Kris Kirkpatrick and wife Jane Foshee Kirkpatrick; Sandra Futrell Kirkpatrick wife of Thomas Kirkpatrick; nieces and nephews Mildred (Katie) Kirkpatrick Justice and husband Richard Todd Justice; Thomas (Kirk) Killgore Kirkpatrick, II and wife Jena Kirkpatrick; Kristopher Scott Kirkpatrick and wife Heather Dupree Kirkpatrick; Charles Stephen Kirkpatrick and wife Mary Elizabeth Buntin Kirkpatrick; great nieces and nephews, Thomas (Trey) Killgore Kirkpatrick III, Hudson Brandt Kirkpatrick, Abigail (Abby) Kay Kirkpatrick Addison and husband Daniel, Laura Jane Kirkpatrick, Virginia Ann Kirkpatrick, Kristopher Claude Kirkpatrick, Leah Elizabeth Kirkpatrick, Charles Jude Kirkpatrick, Jackson Todd Justice, Pierce Maughan, Ellis Maughan, and Quentin Maughan.

Pallbearers will be Scott Kirkpatrick, Stephen Kirkpatrick, Kirk Kirkpatrick, Trey Kirkpatrick, Hudson Kirkpatrick, Todd Justice, Kristopher Kirkpatrick, Jude Kirkpatrick, Jackson Justice, Joe Juban, Connie Koury and D-D Breaux.

Visitation will be held at Rabenhorst Funeral Home at 825 Government Street on Sunday, May 17, 2026, beginning at 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Services celebrating her life will be held at First Presbyterian Church 763 North Boulevard on Monday, May 18, 2026, with visitation from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and funeral services beginning at 11:00.

The family would like to thank Dr. Louis Minsky not only for his medical care but for the friendship and comfort he extended to Kay and the entire Kirkpatrick family; and Jill Chaney who not only made sure that Kay and her beloved cat, Bella, were comfortable but that their home needs were always provided.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Baton Rouge Symphony, the Food Bank of Greater Baton Rouge or to the charity of your choice.