Arthur Lee Kirkwood Jr. was born to Arthur “Lee” and Betty Lea (Jackson) Kirkwood on July 19, 1961, in Bakersfield, California and passed away on Feb. 19, 2026 on his beloved riverboat, on the Mississippi River, near Luling, Louisiana at the age of 64.
Arthur married Kim Gaither in 1979 and had two children, Kelly Lee and Arthur Lee “Bubby” III. In 1987, he married Kathy Romine and had a son, Adam Levi. He attended school in Lemoore, California; Success, Missouri; and Houston, Missouri. Art spent his early years growing up in California as his dad worked on a dairy farm in Bakersfield. Then in 1970, they loaded up the three kids and pet coyote, to move back home to Boiling Springs, Missouri which was just down the road from his grandma and grandpa Kirkwood.
As a teenager, he worked at home milking cows, helping his dad cutting pine poles, logging and helping at the post mill on the farm. Later, he found his place in this world working on the riverboats up and down the Mississippi River. His youngest brother, Michael, would later follow him, working on the boats as well. Art took a lot of pride in keeping the engines running and would send pictures to his family of what he did, and the sights he saw on his trips. Art loved being outside hunting, camping or fishing, but always close to the water he loved so much. He would spend a month on the boat working then come home to pack up his camping gear, and head off to the lake or nearest river.
Art and Kelly’s last gigging trip was down on the Current River, which moved a lot faster than the Piney River he was used to. As they started going up river, he gunned the motor and immediately the boat took a nose-dive and sank in the fast, deep water. He saw Kelly was struggling and said, “Sis, stop struggling and float!,” and so she did. He got the boat out and Kelly floated back down to the campfire.
Adam’s favorite memories are deer hunting with his dad. His first deer kill, Art was sure he had missed, but Adam saw the tail drop, and knew he had him. Art was so excited and proud, that he was jumping up and down when they found it. One cold opening morning hunting, they had sat so long in the woods that Adam told his dad, “Uh dad, we have a problem.” Art asked, “What son?” Adam said, “I think my butt is froze to the ground.” Art laughed and they decided to go get warm and it turned out that his butt was just numb. Art loved to tell that story and would laugh about it every time.
Art’s sense of humor always came through, but sometimes you had to wonder if he was being serious. Like when he took John, born and bred in Los Angeles, California on his first deer hunting trip. John had decided it was time to ask Art if he could marry Kelly. So, Art took him to an old cemetery and pointed at the graves and said, “There is more than one body in those graves and if you ever hurt her or Bailey, you’ll be in one of them.” They went on hunting and John got his first deer and got to marry Kelly.
Since moving close to Kelly, he spent a lot of evenings in the backyard with his granddaughter, Bailey, talking and listening to music, and letting her know right away that he did not care for that Jelly Roll guy singing at all. He spent all the time he could with his little great-granddaughter, Ellie, pulling her and his dog Pup around in a wagon, along with getting her in a boat. Some of his cousins of a certain age, will remember him and Elmer as the wild Indians jumping on grandpa’s ponies, Blacky and Sonny, bare back and bare foot, running through the woods throwing rocks and swinging sticks. They became experts at it, but their sister Carol could hold her own, and only has a couple of scars to prove it. Art was rough, he was tough and he was a fighter. But if you looked, you could see the sparkle in his eyes and the kindness in his heart for the ones he loved. That love was as deep and fierce as any of the demons he fought after the loss of his son, Bub. The last few months he had begun to find peace and his place with his family. His posts lately had hope, and they were gentler and more spiritual. He was home with his family doing the things he loved, and thanking God for them.
Arthur is preceded in death by his parents, wife, Kathy; son, Bubby; grandparents, Elmer and Vivian Kirkwood and Jap and Easter Mace.
He is survived by his daughter, Kelly (John) Goins; son, Adam, all of Pomona; grandchildren, Bailey Lee Kirkwood, her fiance Noah Siedsma, Kaydence Grace and Wyatt Lee Kirkwood; great-granddaughter, Eliyana Lee “Ellie”; sister, Carolyn (Bob) Trentham; brothers, Elmer (Rhonda) Kirkwood and Michael (Misty) Kirkwood; as well as his aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. We will always love and miss him.
A couple of Art’s last posts on Facebook: “I hope you still remember the nights you used to pray for the things you have now.” – “Be grateful.” – “Appreciate those who do not give up on you.”
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, at Bradford Funeral Home with Pastor Erin McConnell officiating. Visitation will be held from 1 p.m. until the service time on Thursday. Services are under the care of Bradford Funeral Home and online condolences may be left at www.bradfordfuneralhome.net.
I am a distant cousin of Arthur’s and we moved to Missouri from California in 1978. I do remember Arthur’s smile and he was a hard worker. I remember one time when he came over to visit us I was a Sr in High school and he couldn’t believe I was already graduating from high school. He always had a kind heart and kind words and I remember how he did love his family.
My sincere condolences goes out to the family and my prayers too.
My condolences to the rest of the family he spent over 35 years with that was not mentioned in this. This the first 30 years of his life. Not one mention of the other grandchildren he shared through his over 30 yrs marriage with my mother Kathy. To some those years didn’t count but to others they did. The only mention of his last half of his life throughout all of this was a mention of his late wives name. How sweet of the Kirkwoods to continue to alienate grandchildren he was around or the fact that he took another child in as his daughter , the only father she knew her whole life. But that isn’t new that’s how the Kirkwood thought of the family Arthur chose to spend his life with. Never once has the Kirkwood family accepted Arthur’s decision in taking that place in the other daughter’s life. Since there was no mention of them i thought I’d oblige the rest of the people of the ones who this family chose to forget from day one. Let’s not sugar coat it . You know the fact he loved others that you as a family chose never to accept. I truly hope his heart has found peace. Because I know he has found my mother. You don’t spend over 30 years of your life with someone and make 30 years of memories with someone and build a whole family with that person because they hated each other. Sure there were bad moments and flaws within it but whose marriage isnt. But I know one thing we always accepted his daughter by Kim. Not the Kirkwoods though if you aren’t blood you can’t be family. Im surprised you couldn’t drum up one memory from your childhood with your dad while married to to Kathy. Because you were there. Wasn’t she Arthur? You can hate me all you want , but what I say is the truth, that you as the Kirkwood family always kept hush hush as if Kathys family he chose to spend his life with never met up to the standards of the Kirkwood family. Not surprising at all that at least those names werent mentioned. Rest in peace Arthur. Hope things are better for you where ever your at. Thanks for the opportunity I’ve had to know you.