Chris Kirk

James Christopher Kirk died peacefully, surrounded by his family, on May 3, 2026 following a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Chris will be remembered by his family and friends for his wisdom, kindness, compassion and humor.

Chris grew up in Forney, Texas, the second of three boys raised by a single mother and public school teacher, Sandra Helm Kirk. As a child, his keen intellect and leadership skills were apparent, as were his sharp wit, irreverent sense of humor, and good “middle child” sense of when it was best to fly under the radar. Chris excelled at Forney High School, winning a state UIL writing competition, playing offensive tackle for the Forney Jackrabbits varsity football team, and participating in the school band as a trombonist. When he graduated in 1984, Chris was named Valedictorian and a National Merit Scholar.

From a young age, Chris identified business and law as his future vocation. He went on to obtain three degrees from his much-loved alma mater, the University of Texas: a B.A. in Business Honors, a J.D. from UT Law, and an MBA from McCombs School of Business. He worked throughout school, including in the mailroom of a prominent Texas law firm where he would later become a partner, Vinson & Elkins. While in law school, he was a member of Texas Law Review.

In 1992, Chris began his career as a corporate lawyer in the Dallas office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. He joined Vinson & Elkins in 1995, where he was named partner in 2000. In 2001, he joined Trammell Crow Company as General Counsel, and was integral to the acquisition of Trammell Crow by CBRE in 2006. Over the next two decades, Chris held – and flourished in – many key leadership roles at CBRE, serving most recently as its Global Chief Operating Officer. Past positions included Global Director of Human Resources and Chief Executive Talent & Administrative Officer. Chris was a highly respected leader at CBRE, admired for his sharp mind, impeccable judgment, loyalty, and steadfast integrity. Though well known for his candor and high standards, he was equally known for his warmth and devotion to others, offering steady, constant support to his far-reaching work family.

Chris loved Longhorn Football, the Dallas Cowboys, and Stephen King novels. But his greatest love was his family. In 2000, he married Mirjam Schuller Kirk, the love of his life and his best friend. Together, they raised three wonderful children: Kirsten Elizabeth Kirk (23), James “Jake” Littlejohn Kirk (21), and John Declan Kirk (18). The greatest joy in Chris’s life was his family. He was enormously proud of his children – of their curiosity, passion and independence, and the remarkable adults they were becoming.

Chris is survived by Mirjam, Kirsten, Jake and Declan, as well as his mother Sandra Helm Kirk, and his brothers John Brody Kirk and Craig Austin Kirk. Chris is preceded in death by his grandparents, James Littlejohn Helm and Dona Slayton Helm, and his father John Thomas Kirk.

A memorial service will be held at Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, 9200 Inwood Road, Dallas, Texas on Thursday, May 14, 2026 at 4:00 p.m, followed by a reception at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the J. Christopher Kirk Memorial Fund, established in honor of Chris’s mother, Sandra Helm Kirk, to support single mothers in their educational pursuits. https://www.txwf.co/chriskirk