Kirk McNelley

Kirk Davis Cunningham Christiansen McNelley born January 4, 1955, to Irving Davis Cunningham, Jr. and Joan Olson Cunningham Christiansen Vail, adopted by Lester McNelley, returned to the loving arms of his Heavenly Father, his loving father, Lester, and other family members awaiting his arrival on August 3, 2010. Free from the bonds of mental and physical handicaps, Kirk is also reunited with his favorite pets, Targee his dog, Budgie his bird, One and Two his cats, Peter his rabbit, Hennie and Pennie his chickens, Waddles and Twaddles his geese, and his goats Samson, Delilah and their kid Solomon. Kirk lived a full life and he loved his family, especially his mother, and his siblings. He loved his father, Lester, deeply. He loved his family and friends at the Utah Development Center, and the remarkable caregivers that took care of him there. Kirk participated in the Special Olympics and was well known for picking up every spec of garbage in his path, including any golf clubs, bikes, or other valuables that might be laying out of place. The garbage man was heard to say, “I didn’t want to pick up the garbage it was so neat.”

He is survived by his mother Joan, sister Debbie (Roger) Stanley, brothers Jeff (Leslie) Christiansen, Mitch (Michiko) Christiansen, Todd (Stacia) Christiansen, sister Cory Hash, brother Jim (Kim) Christiansen, sister Kim (Palemia) Tafiti, and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. We express deep gratitude to Sue Sanft and Brant Choate who cared for, served, and loved both Lester and Kirk for many years. Kirk is preceded in death by his father Lester McNelley, his birth father Irving D. Cunningham, his grandparents Irving and Martha Cunningham, Rod and Eileen Olson, his aunts Gaylen (Keith) Daybell, and Phyllis June Olson.