Col. Rolla Van Kirk Dies; Former Solon, Guard Officer
Military funeral services for Colonel Rolla C. Van Kirk, 64, retired legal adviser to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D. C., and a former Nebraska state legislator, will be held Tuesday in Washington.
Further services will be held in Lincoln.
Colonel Van Kirk, who died Saturday night in Walter Reed Hospital, had held the position of legal advisor to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau for about six years, retiring two years ago.
The Colonel, whose Lincoln home was at 1944 B, practiced in Lincoln with the law firm of Burkett, Wilson and Van Kirk and served in the lower house of the legislature from 1927 until 1931 and in state senate, representing the 14th district, from 1931 to 1937.
An officer in the Nebraska National Guard for more than 30 years, he served in the Marine Corps in World War I. When hostilities began in 1941 he went with the 35th division, made up of troops from Nebraska, and was in charge of army training in Louisiana.
In 1943 he was ordered overseas and saw service in Germany. Later he was attached to the military mission for the Italian army, with headquarters at Rome.
For service abroad he was awarded the Bronze Star with oak leaf clusters, the Italian War Cross, the Knight Officer of the Crown of Italy, the army commendation ribbon and the French unit citation.
A native of Antelope County, he received his education in the schools of Neligh, Yankton College and the University of Nebraska, where he received his law degree in 1923.
He was a member of the American and Nebraska bar associations, the Masons and the Shrine. A member of the American Legion, he was past commander of the local post 3, past exalted ruler of Lincoln Elks Lodge 80, and past chef de gare of 40 & 8.
Surviving are his wife, Leonore, who was the daughter of United States Senator Elmer J. Burkett; a son, Burkett of Lincoln; mother, Mrs. C. B. Van Kirk of Lincoln; sisters, Mrs. Doris Swanson and Mrs. Maurine Hedges, both of Waverly; and two grandchildren.
...Obituary provided by a family member, who saved it from a Nebraska newspaper
Military funeral services for Colonel Rolla C. Van Kirk, 64, retired legal adviser to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D. C., and a former Nebraska state legislator, will be held Tuesday in Washington.
Further services will be held in Lincoln.
Colonel Van Kirk, who died Saturday night in Walter Reed Hospital, had held the position of legal advisor to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau for about six years, retiring two years ago.
The Colonel, whose Lincoln home was at 1944 B, practiced in Lincoln with the law firm of Burkett, Wilson and Van Kirk and served in the lower house of the legislature from 1927 until 1931 and in state senate, representing the 14th district, from 1931 to 1937.
An officer in the Nebraska National Guard for more than 30 years, he served in the Marine Corps in World War I. When hostilities began in 1941 he went with the 35th division, made up of troops from Nebraska, and was in charge of army training in Louisiana.
In 1943 he was ordered overseas and saw service in Germany. Later he was attached to the military mission for the Italian army, with headquarters at Rome.
For service abroad he was awarded the Bronze Star with oak leaf clusters, the Italian War Cross, the Knight Officer of the Crown of Italy, the army commendation ribbon and the French unit citation.
A native of Antelope County, he received his education in the schools of Neligh, Yankton College and the University of Nebraska, where he received his law degree in 1923.
He was a member of the American and Nebraska bar associations, the Masons and the Shrine. A member of the American Legion, he was past commander of the local post 3, past exalted ruler of Lincoln Elks Lodge 80, and past chef de gare of 40 & 8.
Surviving are his wife, Leonore, who was the daughter of United States Senator Elmer J. Burkett; a son, Burkett of Lincoln; mother, Mrs. C. B. Van Kirk of Lincoln; sisters, Mrs. Doris Swanson and Mrs. Maurine Hedges, both of Waverly; and two grandchildren.
...Obituary provided by a family member, who saved it from a Nebraska newspaper
Col. Rolla Van Kirk Dies; Former Solon, Guard Officer
Military funeral services for Colonel Rolla C. Van Kirk, 64, retired legal adviser to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D. C., and a former Nebraska state legislator, will be held Tuesday in Washington.
Further services will be held in Lincoln.
Colonel Van Kirk, who died Saturday night in Walter Reed Hospital, had held the position of legal advisor to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau for about six years, retiring two years ago.
The Colonel, whose Lincoln home was at 1944 B, practiced in Lincoln with the law firm of Burkett, Wilson and Van Kirk and served in the lower house of the legislature from 1927 until 1931 and in state senate, representing the 14th district, from 1931 to 1937.
An officer in the Nebraska National Guard for more than 30 years, he served in the Marine Corps in World War I. When hostilities began in 1941 he went with the 35th division, made up of troops from Nebraska, and was in charge of army training in Louisiana.
In 1943 he was ordered overseas and saw service in Germany. Later he was attached to the military mission for the Italian army, with headquarters at Rome.
For service abroad he was awarded the Bronze Star with oak leaf clusters, the Italian War Cross, the Knight Officer of the Crown of Italy, the army commendation ribbon and the French unit citation.
A native of Antelope County, he received his education in the schools of Neligh, Yankton College and the University of Nebraska, where he received his law degree in 1923.
He was a member of the American and Nebraska bar associations, the Masons and the Shrine. A member of the American Legion, he was past commander of the local post 3, past exalted ruler of Lincoln Elks Lodge 80, and past chef de gare of 40 & 8.
Surviving are his wife, Leonore, who was the daughter of United States Senator Elmer J. Burkett; a son, Burkett of Lincoln; mother, Mrs. C. B. Van Kirk of Lincoln; sisters, Mrs. Doris Swanson and Mrs. Maurine Hedges, both of Waverly; and two grandchildren.
...Obituary provided by a family member, who saved it from a Nebraska newspaper
Military funeral services for Colonel Rolla C. Van Kirk, 64, retired legal adviser to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D. C., and a former Nebraska state legislator, will be held Tuesday in Washington.
Further services will be held in Lincoln.
Colonel Van Kirk, who died Saturday night in Walter Reed Hospital, had held the position of legal advisor to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau for about six years, retiring two years ago.
The Colonel, whose Lincoln home was at 1944 B, practiced in Lincoln with the law firm of Burkett, Wilson and Van Kirk and served in the lower house of the legislature from 1927 until 1931 and in state senate, representing the 14th district, from 1931 to 1937.
An officer in the Nebraska National Guard for more than 30 years, he served in the Marine Corps in World War I. When hostilities began in 1941 he went with the 35th division, made up of troops from Nebraska, and was in charge of army training in Louisiana.
In 1943 he was ordered overseas and saw service in Germany. Later he was attached to the military mission for the Italian army, with headquarters at Rome.
For service abroad he was awarded the Bronze Star with oak leaf clusters, the Italian War Cross, the Knight Officer of the Crown of Italy, the army commendation ribbon and the French unit citation.
A native of Antelope County, he received his education in the schools of Neligh, Yankton College and the University of Nebraska, where he received his law degree in 1923.
He was a member of the American and Nebraska bar associations, the Masons and the Shrine. A member of the American Legion, he was past commander of the local post 3, past exalted ruler of Lincoln Elks Lodge 80, and past chef de gare of 40 & 8.
Surviving are his wife, Leonore, who was the daughter of United States Senator Elmer J. Burkett; a son, Burkett of Lincoln; mother, Mrs. C. B. Van Kirk of Lincoln; sisters, Mrs. Doris Swanson and Mrs. Maurine Hedges, both of Waverly; and two grandchildren.
...Obituary provided by a family member, who saved it from a Nebraska newspaper
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