JIMMY LEE KIRKLAND, age 47, of Milan, GA, died Thursday, January 14, 2021, at his residence after a tough and courageous battle with bile duct cancer.
JIMMY LEE KIRKLAND, age 47, of Milan, GA, died Thursday, January 14, 2021, at his residence after a tough and courageous battle with bile duct cancer.
Graveside services will be held at 2:00PM Monday, January 18, at Sand Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, with Rev. Joey Bohannon and Rev. Aubrey Corbitt officiating. The family encourages that masks be worn and social distancing be practiced during the funeral services.
Lee was born in Macon, GA, was raised in the Dodge County area, was a 1991 graduate of Dodge County High School, and attended Middle Georgia College. He was a member and deacon of Sand Grove Baptist Church. He was formerly the City Manager of Milan for over 10 years, and currently was the Milan Department Fire Chief of over 25 years and worked as the Dodge County Fire Coordinator. He also worked as a paramedic and EMT for several years. Lee was the president of the Dodge County Volunteer Fire Fighters Association, volunteer section leader for the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs, was appointed to the Georgia Firefighters Standard of Training Council by Governor Nathan Deal in 2018, where he served as co-chairman. He was a member of the Georgia Fire Academy Advisory Committee, an Adjunct Instructor of the Georgia Fire Academy, and was a certified rescue diver. Lee was a dedicated husband and a loving father to his greatest joy in life, his daughter Sarah Beth, but his greatest accomplishment was being a saved and redeemed child of God.
He is survived by his Wife of 25 years – Stephanie Watkins Kirkland of Milan; Daughter – Sarah Beth Kirkland of Milan; Mother and Father – Shirley Watson Kirkland and Jimmy Kirkland, of Milan; Sister – Kristi Kirkland Greer (Bill) of Unadilla; Mother-in-law and Father-in-law – Brenda and Tim Watkins of Milan; Brothers-in-law – Brian Watkins (Carrie), Brent Watkins (Angie), and Bart Watkins (Jenna) all of Milan; Several Aunts, Uncles, and Numerous Nieces, Nephews, Cousins, and Friends.
The family may be contacted at the Kirkland residence, 2802 Telfair Line Rd., Milan. Lee will lie-in-state from 11:00AM-4:00PM Sunday, January 17, in Southerland Funeral Chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family request contributions to Sand Grove Baptist Church, % Mike Watkins, 21 Watkins Lane, Milan, GA 31060, The Firefighter Cancer Support Network, firefightercancersupport.org/, or the donor’s local volunteer fire department in honor of Lee.
Locally owned and operated, Stokes-Southerland Funeral Home, has been "A Tradition of Trust" to Eastman, Dodge County and Middle Georgia for over 65 years.