Obituary of Stephen Kirk

STEPHEN P. KIRK JR., 50, of HOWELL, died Monday, Nov. 12, at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township, after a courageous battle with cancer, with his family at his side. Mr. Kirk was born in Long Branch and was a lifelong resident of Howell. He was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, receiving three meritorious awards from 1976 to 1979. Mr. Kirk was a certified flight instructor and airline transport pilot. He served on the Board of the National Business Aviation Association Security Council. He was a member of the National MENSA Society. Mr. Kirk was a soccer coach for the Pinelanders Association and was a volleyball referee for many years. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in applied science from Thomas Edison State College, Trenton, and his Associate Degree from Coastal Carolina University. He was part of the first graduating class of St. Veronica Catholic School in 1971. Mr. Kirk attended Christian Brothers Academy prior to graduating in 1975 from St. Joseph High School, Toms River. For the past seven years, Mr. Kirk was the director of Aviation for Avaya, Morristown. Before that, he was a New Jersey state trooper, a sergeant first class assigned to the Aviation Unit of the State Police at the Mercer County Airport, serving for 17 1/2 years as a pilot assigned to the Governor's Detail. Surviving are his wife, Janine Kirk; a son, Travis Kirk, at home; a daughter, Tiffany Kirk, at home; his in-laws, Joan Conner and James of Brick; two brothers-in-law and a sister-in-law, James and Christine Conner and their children, Kaitlyn, Jamie, and Christopher of Brick, and Jeffrey Conner of Brick; and many loving cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends. Visiting hours will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday until his funeral service at 8:30 p.m. at Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. The inurnment will follow at 1 p.m. Monday in Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Arneytown. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Steve may be made to the Kirk Children Trust Fund. For directions, information or condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com.