Captain William Joseph Kirkley

KIRKLEY, Captain William Joseph, 89, of Land O’ Lakes, Florida passed away Friday, May 23, 2014. He was born in Arlington, Virginia and moved to Land O’ Lakes, Florida from Punta Gorda, Florida in 2013. He served proudly in the United States Coast Guard and retired as a decorated Captain. William was a member of the graduating class of the 1947 United States Coast Guard Academy, where he obtained his degree in engineering. After graduating from the United States Coast Guard Academy, William then attended the George Washington University of Law. Among his many assignments as a Coast Guard Officer, William was stationed at St. George Base in Staten Island, New York with the Coast Guard Cutters. He then continued on to New London, Connecticut to teach law at the United States Coast Guard Academy. In the late 1960’s William was selected to be the United Nations United States Coast Guard liaison in New York City, New York. He was also stationed at the United States Coast Guard Head Quarters in Washington D.C. where he primarily dealt with law of the sea. From 1970 until retirement William was an acting JAG, Judge Advocate General. In 1976 he honorably retired from his last post as the Commanding Officer of the United States Coast Guard Base in Petaluma, California. William was presently a member of Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in Land O’ Lakes, Florida and previously a long time member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Punta Gorda, Florida. He was a member of the MOAA, Military Officers Association of America (Charlotte Harbor Chapter), the Navy League of the United States and a board member of the Burnt Store Isles Country Club in Punta Gorda, Florida. William enjoyed entertaining and opening up his home to family and friends. He enjoyed golf, cruising and swimming. His favorite activity was to sit out on his lanai with Fran; they would gaze out onto the water and enjoy an evening cocktail while watching the sun set. William is preceded in death by his loving wife of 67 years, Frances M. Kirkley; brothers, Richard Kirkley and George Kirkley Webber, Jr.; and sister, Mary Elizabeth Kirkley. He is survived by his daughters, Patricia Ann Kirkley (Ken Brown) of North Carolina, Susan Kirkley Maffeo of Land O’ Lakes, Florida and Nancy K. Miller (Jeffrey) of Sarasota, Florida; grandchild, Elizabeth Maffeo (John Mila); and great grandchildren, Michael John and Sophia Lorraine Mila. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, May 31, 2014 at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church. The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 P.M. on Friday evening at Loyless Funeral Home with a wake service at 7:00 P.M. William’s Final resting place will be at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.