C. Royce Kirkland

Born in Levy County, Florida, January 2, 1922 to William Guy Kirkland (deceased) and Louise Barrow Kirkland (deceased). He was one of eight children in the Kirkland family that called Florida home since the 1700s.

Royce was the owner and president of Duval Concrete Company and took great pride in pointing out the streets and highways that he had built. He led an exciting and active life for a boy that grew up on a farm during the Great Depression. He attended Chiefland High School in Chiefland, Florida and played left end on the football team that he loved so much. Royce was a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps that President Roosevelt created during the Great Depression and was stationed in California. In 1939 he attended the World’s Fair in Chicago which was an incredibly exciting event for a boy of seventeen. He worked for a construction company out of New York building the first U.S. Airfield on the island of Antigua and regularly shared his rations on Sundays with the leper colony on the island. He was a veteran of World War II and was drafted twice. During this time his beautiful young wife, Lucille, and he were raising his four younger brothers and sisters after the death of their parents in an automobile accident.

He owned the Family Food Market and began his career in roadwork and concrete with the City of Jacksonville. He was always politically active and interested in the politics of Jacksonville.. He worked tirelessly for the candidates that he believed would make his much beloved city excel.

Royce was an avid hunter, fisherman, and outdoorsman and was known as the best quail shooter around, having out shot World Champion Clay Shooters. He was charming, fun, good looking and outgoing. He was a hard working man with an independent position. Most of all he loved his family, hunting, and the Florida Gators. He was a master story-teller and jokester. He was the perfect example of Tom Brokaw’s book “The Greatest Generation, a man’s man, that you could always depend on and a great friend.

He was a member of the Barnett Lodge of Free and Accepted Mason’s, York Rite Lodge and Morocco Temple.

Royce was loved and cherished by the love of his life for sixty-eight years Lucille Herrington Kirkland, his devoted and loving daughter, Karen Kirkland Franklin (Ben), and his recently deceased cherished daughter Carolyn Kirkland Webb (Warner).

Grandchildren Heather Kenyon Oakley(Chris), Jaye Kenyon (Simone), Julia Webb, Kirkland Turner Franklin; Great Grandchildren Caroline Oakley, Alex Oakley, Calvin Kenyon, Scarlett Kenyon, Matthew Torak and Claire Torak, dedicated and caring Brothers and Sisters, Herbert Kirkland (Gracie), Margaret Sneed, William Guy Kirkland (Lillian) and Rita Kirkland, Sister-in-law Gladys Herrington Long and many nieces ,nephews and cousins.

Arrangements under the direction of Hardage-Giddens Town & Country Funeral Home, Jacksonville, FL.