Michael Joseph Kilpatrick

An inspiring, intelligent, and prolifically creative man with a great sense of humor, Mike was born in Waco, Texas, on October 27th, 1940. He often fondly recalled his childhood growing up in Dallas, getting into trouble throwing firecrackers on people’s roofs and playing touch football on people’s lawns. He graduated from Du Pont High School in Jacksonville, Florida, having made life-long friends there. After high school, Michael joined the Navy and deployed to many places including Hawaii, China, the Philippines, and Japan. After the Navy, Michael attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas; the California College of Arts in Oakland, California; and received his BA in Mathematics from the University of North Texas, in Denton, Texas.

In Denton he met his wife Joan while buying textbooks from her at the university bookstore. They were married 3 months later on September 3rd, 1967. Mike and Joan have been married for 53 years and raised one daughter, Kelly, as well as many excellent dogs.

Mike and Joan moved to Austin, Texas in 1968, where Mike received his Master of Architecture degree from the University of Texas in 1974. His daughter Kelly was also born in 1974. Mike was a supportive, encouraging, and thoughtful father doing things like leaving silly cartoons to make Kelly laugh and calm her nerves before a school presentation.

Michael spent the majority of his career as a computer software designer, working during the early decades of computer technology, creating 3D modelling programs that mapped the subterranean layers of the Earth. Mike travelled extensively, training others in the computer programming field. He and his family lived in England during the 80’s when Mike was there to open the company’s London office. Mike also travelled to Norway, Canada, Mexico, Turkey, the Netherlands, Scotland, Germany, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Tunisia, Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, Nigeria, Malaysia, and India during this period.

After Michael retired, he and Joan moved to California in 2008 to live closer to their daughter, son-in-law, and grandson, Parker, born in 2006. Still excited to spend time in different places, Mike and Joan lived in Alameda, California; Sparks, Nevada; Shelter Cove, California; and El Dorado, California. During this time Mike was able to create many beautiful, intricate sculptures of ceramic and wood. He sold many pieces at galleries and art festivals. Mike also built artistic decks, benches, and fences at their various properties during this time, as he had also done at their homes in Austin. Mike was not one to sit still and always kept Joan on her toes with new projects in the works. He loved entertaining, was an excellent cook, especially of spicy curries, and had a wonderful sense of humor. Friends and family recall many fun evenings sitting around the table after a delicious dinner, enjoying good conversation with Mike. He loved making his grandson laugh and sending him surprise gifts in the mail. Mike’s smile and laughter will be much missed by all.

Michael Kilpatrick is survived by his wife Joan, his daughter Kelly Kilpatrick, son-in-law Jay Skelton, grandson Parker; his sister Carol Harenza and her husband, Frank, of Whitewater, Wisconsin; his brother-in-law Weldon Barnett and wife Beverley of Denton, Texas; cousins Earl Engan, Dave Engan, Rick Yardley, and Mike Yardley; and many nieces and nephews.