Johnny Herman Kirksey (Bolivar)'s Obituary
Johnny Herman Kirksey, 53, passed peacefully in his sleep on March 18, 2026. He was the husband of Terri Kirksey. They were married on July 13, 2001. Johnny was born and raised in Fair Play/ Bolivar, Missouri. He was the son of the late George Herman and Sharon Carol (Dryer) Kirksey. Johnny graduated from Fair Play High School in 1990. Johnny owned and operated Kirksey Trash Service for 18 years and drove a special needs bus and worked for the Fair Play Schools for 5 years. He was raised in the Salem Baptist Church in Cliquot, Missouri where he was saved and baptized as a young teen. He loved tinkering in the garage on his 1970 green Chevy Short Bed truck. He loved vacationing and camping with family and friends and taking his grandkids for rides on his golf cart and spoiling them. Johnny was always looking for a good deal on Facebook Marketplace and he called himself the Cat Whisperer. He sure loved his fur babies. Johnny was related to practically everyone and he loved to tell his stories about his crazy younger days. He never met a stranger and everyone knew Johnny. He was the patriarch of our family and we could always count on him to be there for help. He was that way with his friends too. He always made sure everyone was taken care of, or having a good time and felt included. He had a special place in his heart for his bus full of special needs kids and loved them dearly. Johnny had a huge heart, great laugh, smile and loved to tell dumb jokes. Terri called him her Superman and John Boy, which he loved. Even though he laughingly grumbled, he loved making props and doing all of Terri's crazy ideas for the dance studio, Center Stage. Johnny was a doting father and never missed a game or special event for his kids and grandkids. Johnny was the best husband, father, Pop Pop and friend you could ask for and he will be greatly missed by all. Johnny is preceded in death by his mother and father George and Sharon Kirksey; father-in-law Frank Thompson; sister-in-law Sherri Thompson and brother-in-law Mark Thompson. Johnny is survived by his wife Terri (Thompson) Kirksey; his children Garrett and wife Kourtney Kirksey, Taylor Blankenship, Justin and wife Peyton Kirksey, Beau Blankenship and Ashlynne Kirksey; his brother Jesse Kirksey; mother-in-law Trish Thompson,; sister-in-law Robin Thompson; and grandkids Lucille, Vivian, Phillip, Elijah, Henry and Arthur, along with so many other family members and friends that are like family. Services for Johnny will be held at 11:00 A.M. Monday, March 23, 2026, at the Butler Funeral Home in Bolivar, Missouri. Visitation will begin an hour prior to the service starting at 10:00 A.M.
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