Union City, Tenn.–Discovery Park of America Co-Founder Jenny Lee Darnall Kirkland, age 76, of Union City, died Monday, August 19, following a brief battle with cancer. She and her husband, the late Robert Kirkland, founded Discovery Park of America, donating some $140M to create the 50-acre heritage park in Union City.
During life, Jenny was active in the Arts Council of Union City and was a long-time member of St. James Episcopal Church where she served faithfully on the Alter Guild. Along with her husband, she established the Robert E. & Jenny D. Kirkland Foundation, where she served as president until her death. She also served on the Board of Directors of Discovery Park of America and Promethean Foundation, and was a founding contributor to the Union City Rotary Club’s European Trip for local high school students. In 2017, she was honored as a recipient of the Jackson, Tennessee-based Sterling Award honoring outstanding women of west Tennessee.
Jenny was a 1960 graduate of Union City High School and a graduate of University of Tennessee at Martin.
Funeral services will be conducted at 3:00 pm on Wednesday, August 21, at St. James Episcopal Church in Union City. Father Chuck McMillen will officiate.
A visitation will be held at the church commencing at noon until the time of the service on Wednesday.
White-Ranson Funeral Home will be in charge of arrangements.
Pallbearers will be Miles Kirkland, Brooks Kirkland, Arthur Kirkland, James Kirkland, William Kirkland, Will Wade, and Al Creswell.
Honorary Pallbearers will be the members of the Board of Directors of Discovery Park of America and the members of the Board of Directors of Promethean Foundation.
Jenny was born on October 31, 1942, daughter of the late Dr. Robert Madison Darnall and Frances Wheman Darnall. She married Robert Edward Kirkland on May 29, 1964; he preceded her in death on April 11, 2015.
She is survived by her three children and their spouses, Tab (Donna) Kirkland of Lebanon, TN; Macy Kirkland of Cincinnati, OH; and Chris (Beth) Kirkland of Nashville, TN, as well as seven grandchildren: Kristin Kirkland and Wade Kirkland of Lebanon, TN; Sara Swensson, Evelyn Swensson, and Emma Swensson of Cincinnati, OH; and Bonner Kirkland and Hayden Kirkland of Nashville, TN.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and her brother, Robert Madison Darnall, Jr.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to be made to Discovery Park of America.
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