Walter Ralph Kirchoff

Walter Ralph Kirchoff Sr., 92, of Stuttgart passed away Sunday, December 18, 2011, at Baptist Health-Stuttgart. Mr. Kirchoff was born June 15, 1919, in Stuttgart to Fred and Ester Harris Kirchoff. While attending Stuttgart High School, Walter was a stand-out basketball player earning him and two teammates the title "Giant Killers" during the 1940 state tournament in Jonesboro which the Ricebirds won. Following graduation he attended Arkansas Tech his freshman year on a basketball scholarship, and then transferred to Centenary College also on a basketball scholarship. In 1942 he joined the Army Air Force and served in Australia and the South Pacific for 21 months. He was a retail businessman owning several department stores including Gibson Discount Store in Stuttgart. He was an Air Force veteran of World War II and member of St. John's Lutheran Church. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Bobby Kirchoff and Marvin Kirchoff; and one sister, Elsie Haller. Survivors are his wife of 67 years, Ann Johnson Kirchoff; two sons, Ralph (Lynn) Kirchoff of Ormond Beach, Florida, and Rick (Jane) Kirchoff of Germantown, Tennessee; two daughters, Annette (Jerry) Woodard of Flowery Branch, Georgia, and Sylvia Kirchoff of Folsom, Louisiana; one brother, Merlin Kirchoff of Stuttgart; two sisters, Francis Blohm and Carolyn Mulloy of Stuttgart; an aunt, Velma Beard of Houston, Texas; eight grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Funeral services are 11 a.m., Thursday at St. John's Lutheran Church with burial in Lone Tree Cemetery. Visitation is 5-7 p.m., Wednesday at Turpin Funeral Home. The family requests memorials be made to St. John's Lutheran Church. Please go to www.turpin-co.com to sign the online guestbook.