Alison Joy Kirk

Alison Joy Kirk, a beloved and cherished member of the Kennesaw, Georgia community, passed away on December 29, 2025, at the age of 79. Alison was known for generous spirit and devoted nature. Born on December 1, 1946, in Carshalton which is in southern London England. She was a twin being born 45 minutes before her brother. At the age of 5 her family moved to the county of Berkshire to a quaint little village named Ashampstead. Her parents bought a bakery that they ran for decades. After graduating from school in 1963, she went on to become a sales associate at Boots and was a successful photographer. She met her future husband, Freddie, of 35 years in 1966. He was an American stationed in England through the Air Force. They married in 1968 in a 900-year-old church, St. Clements. She gave birth to their daughter, Nicola, in 1969.

After living in England for a few more years they moved to Georgia upon settling in Kennesaw in 1974. Kennesaw is where she would build a life filled with love and hard work. In 1976, Alison gave birth to her second child, a son named Sean. Her family was complete because she had a son and a daughter. Alison was a gifted artist with drawing, painting and art & crafts. In the mid-70s she made a Holly Hobby doll for Nicola which started her hobby of making dolls. This became quite a lucrative part-time career of attending arts and crafts shows in creating and selling Raggedy Ann and Andy, animals, Christmas idols and Cabbage Patch dolls. She even had her own copyright for her original designs. Up until 1983, Alison had been a stay-at-home mom thus going to work at Cobb County Board of Education as a substitute teacher. She subbed at the local schools surrounding her. In 1988, she became a Paraprofessional at the new Baker Elementary in Acworth GA. She worked in kindergarten, 2nd grade and special education. She retired from Baker Elementary in 2013 after 30 years with the county.

Her love for animals was expressed through her fostering of cats and dogs. She actually replaced her students with animals’ people would say.

She was known for her tie-dye Volkswagen, a symbol of her colorful and joyful spirit. People would comment on it from all over. It went with her quirky sense of humor.

Alison was devoted to her family and her community. Her involvement was a testament to her great heart and generous nature. Whether helping out as a team mom at Adams Park, Class mom for her children’s homerooms, chaperone at their field days, or a Webelo leader for her son’s troop when no one else would. She always made the best of any situation, was known for her good heart and her British wit.

Alison Joy Kirk leaves behind a legacy of kindness and love, and she will be fondly remembered by all who knew her. She always had a smile on her face even when she became paralyzed in 2019 after back surgery thus causing her diagnosis with Dementia.

Alison is survived by her children; Nicola Kirk-Bunn (Ronnie) of Kennesaw, GA and Sean Kirk of Brentwood, TN; brothers, Nick Chaplin (her twin) of Calcot England and Trevor Chaplin of Marlborough England; 5 grandchildren: Justin Alexander, Andrew Bunn, Stella Kirk, Josh Bunn and Ashley Bunn. She had 4 great grandchildren: Khaleb, Mykah, Emily and Kinsley. Alison had numerous nieces and nephews as well.

Alison is preceded in death by her husband of 35 years, Freddie Kirk, parents; Charlie and Phyllis Chaplin, and sister, Valerie Street.

A visitation will be held at Winkenhofer Pine Ridge Funeral Home, located at 2950 North Cobb Pkwy, Kennesaw, GA 30152, on January 21, 2026, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. A funeral service will follow at the same venue starting at 4:00 pm.