Tommy Kirkland

Tommy Kirkland, 57, passed away on Friday, April 19, 2013 after a courageous battle with cancer at his residence surrounded by his family and friends.

Family graveside services will take place at 2pm Sunday, April 21, 2013 at Sunset Memorial Park with Robert Byrd directing. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 2pm on Monday at First Baptist Church of Dothan with Dr. Johnny Fain officiating.  The family will receive friends at the church on Monday 12:30-2pm.  In lieu of flowers the family humbly requests that memorial contributions be made to the Wiregrass Food Bank, 382 Twitchell Rd., Dothan, AL 36303, to the Wiregrass Humane Society, PO Box 1045, Dothan, AL 36302, Covenant Hospice, 104 Rock Bridge Rd., Dothan, AL 36303 or your favorite charity.

Tommy was born June 2, 1955 in Eufaula and lived the early years of his life in Ashford, AL. He was a 1973 graduate of Ashford High School and graduated from Auburn University in 1976 with a degree in Accounting. Tommy purchased his father's jewelry store in Ashford in 1976 and moved the business to Dothan in 1984 where he operated it for the past 30 years. He was a graduate of the Gemological Institute of America. Tommy served on various charitable and civic boards, including Board of Directors for Mid South Bank. He was a member of the Dothan Rotary Club and the recipient of the Paul Harris Fellows Award. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Dothan.

Survivors include his wife, Jane McGowan Kirkland; his parents, Thomas and Barbara Kirkland; his son, Kirk Kirkland; his step-son, Sam Leslie Mote; his step-daughter, Kristen Jeremy Hester; his brother, Ken Martha Kirkland; his sister, Ann Morgan Dykes; his mother-in-law, Nancy Turlington; his brothers-in-law, Gary Lisa McGowan, Jimmy Betty McGowan, and Stephen Smith; step-grandchildren, Ethan Mote, Ashlyn Mote, and Emmett Hester; his nieces and nephews, Adam Chelly Dykes, Andrew Kim Dykes, Wood McGowan, Seth McGowan, James McGowan, and Julia McGowan .