Betty Jean Kirk's Obituary
Betty Kirk passed away on July 11, 2024. She was born on April 10, 1926, to parents Robert and Mariam Palmer.
At 16 years of age, Betty performed on the Spreckels pipe organ located in the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park, San Diego, California. This is the world’s largest pipe organ in a fully outdoor venue.
She was the first student at OU to receive a masters degree in organ performance.
Betty was a life-long member of the American Guild of Organists (A.G.O.). Her sorority was Mu Phi Epsilon (music). She performed many pipe organ concerts throughout her career at all of the major church organs in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Betty gave private piano lessons in her home while her family was young. She was organist at Southminster Presbyterian Church for 56 years retiring at age 90!
She started at O.R.U. as the chairman of the keyboard department in 1965, retiring in 1988.
She is reunited with her parents, sister, husband and grandparents.
She is survived by children Karen Curley of Kansas City, Missouri, Dennis Knott (Diana) of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Joan McMurtry (Robert) of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Marian Scheuer (Lawrence) of Woodbury, Minnesota; grandchildren Daniel Curley (Staci), Jill Curley, Adrienne Greenway (Travis), Jonathan Knott (Michelle), Audrey Stadler (John), Jeremy Knott, Elyse Scheuer, and Alexander Scheuer, 12 great grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers family requests donations to:
Southminster Presbyterian Church
Trinity Wood, Tulsa
Suncrest Hospice,
Or your favorite charity.
The family wishes to thank Trinity Woods, Tulsa and Suncrest Hospice for their compassionate care of our mother.
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