Katherine Kirkpatrick

Medical Center surrounded by her loving friends and family. Katherine, known by her family

and friends as Rusty, graduated Murphy High School in 1958, she was a member of the Delta

Beta Sigma Sorority, and a First Chair Concert violinist with the Alabama High School

Symphony. Rusty graduated from Birmingham Southern College, with a Degree in Education in

1964. A native of Mobile, Alabama, Rusty’s teaching career began in 1964 as a first-grade

teacher in the Huntsville school system. When the academic year ended, she returned to

Birmingham, where she taught developmental reading for 20 years in elementary schools

throughout the city. She received her Master’s Degree in 1979 from the University of Alabama in

Birmingham. In 1985, Rusty shifted her career to educating student teachers and specialized in

the education of preservice teachers in reading methodology at Birmingham Southern College

(her Alma Mater). She received her Ph.D. in 1989 from the University of Alabama in

Birmingham. Her work at Birmingham Southern culminated in the development and

implementation of the Reading Buddies Program with the Jonesboro Elementary School in the

Bessemer school system, which provided a Reading Reference Room for children and free

tutoring by BSC education students. As an addition to her extensive list of achievements, Rusty

was appointed to the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) Board of

Examiners in 2001. She retired from Birmingham Southern in 2006. Teaching children and

those that would later become teachers was her passion. She taught many and truly loved them

all.

She was a member of The Coronets, the Antiquarian Society, the Amulet Club, the Ballet

Women’s Committee, and Daughters of the American Revolution.

Rusty was a longtime member of All Saints Episcopal Church, where she served on the

Altar Guild, the Flower Guild, the Funeral Guild and the Knitting Club.

Rusty is predeceased by her husband Donald B. Kirkpatrick, her sister, Aubrey Ross, her

mother, Irene Godwin Glass, and her father, Aubrey Patterson Glass.

She is survived by her son, Donald B. Kirkpatrick, II (Jan), her daughter, Reilly Kirkpatrick

Williamson (Rob), her grandchildren, William Patterson Kirkpatrick, Ansley Katherine

Kirkpatrick, Wesley Kellam Williamson, and Reilly Elizabeth Williamson. Special thanks to her

caregiver Christy Lyles – ever present and always helpful to Ms. Kirkpatrick.

Her memorial service will be Monday, May 1st at 2:00 p.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church

sanctuary in Homewood, Alabama, with the Rev. Mike Cleckler officiating. A reception

celebrating her life will follow from 2:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m. in Great Hall at the Church.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ridoutsvalleychapel.com for the Kirkpatrick family.