Lanny was born June 19, 1939 in Sherman, TX, the first of two sons to Marjorie Juanita (Klein) Kirkpatrick and Ralph Landreth Kirkpatrick. He attended school in Sherman through the 11th grade, finishing with a GED while in the Marine Corps.
He entered the Marine Corps with his best friend, Larry Cole, in September,1956 and went through boot camp at Camp Pendelton in San Diego, CA. He served on bases in Barstow, CA and Albany, GA. His first tour of duty was from September 1956 to November 1963. This tour was extended due to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Lanny was in the Marine Corps Reserves from 1974-1976, training during this time at Paris Island. Lanny loved the Marine Corps; he lived and breathed it his entire life. He was extremely proud of Lanny Jr.’s service in the Marine Corps in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
While in Georgia, Lanny married the first time, and had a son Ralph Mitchell Kirkpatrick in 1959. Divorced and married a second time, and had a daughter Cynthia Marie Kirkpatrick (Rodriguez), in 1962. He later divorced. He and Cindy were reunited in 1984. Lanny lived briefly in Hawaii and worked for the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, then moved back to Dallas.
He met Peggy Kinney in Dallas and they married on May 12, 1963. They had son Lanny Jr. in 1964, and moved to Sherman, TX where Lanny Sr. worked as a police officer and then owned his own security company. They lived in Richardson, and Lanny worked at liquor stores and liquor distributors based in Dallas. Lanny enjoyed being in business for himself. He owned a vending business and ultimately established Kirkpatrick Private Investigations. He, Peggy and Lanny Jr. moved to Plano in 1976, where Peggy still lives.
Lanny dearly loved his granddaughter Nikki, daughter of Lanny Jr. We are so grateful that Lanny got to meet his granddaughter Gemma, daughter of Cindy, just before he passed.
Lanny loved boating, fishing, playing poker, gardening and keeping animals, especially birds. He spent time at American Legion Posts 321 in Plano and 368 in Richardson. He was very proud of his family history and liked to visit the Kirkpatrick Home Place in Whitewright, TX, now on the national registry of historic places.
Lanny is survived by his wife, Peggy Kirkpatrick, son Lanny Jr. (of Wylie, TX) and granddaughter Christin Nicole (Nikki, of Lipan, TX, age 18); daughter Cindy Kirkpatrick Rodriguez (of Montana) her partner Tina Rodriguez and granddaughter Gemma Lorraine Rodriguez, age 1 ½ years; son Ralph Mitchell Kirkpatrick (of Florida) and granddaughter Angela (age 16); his brother Jim Kirkpatrick (of Pottsboro, TX) and niece Gina Gail and nephew James Evan, and uncle Bob Kirkpatrick (of Denison, TX ).
Lanny was one of a kind: a big personality with a tough exterior and a soft side. He’ll be remembered by all who met him and dearly missed by those who loved him.
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