Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of my good friend Lloyd “Tookie” Kirkham of Tarkington Prairie, Texas. Tookie dutifully served the residents of Liberty County for twelve years as County Judge before retiring in 2006. He was a patriarch of the surrounding community, a wonderful mentor to many, a fantastic athlete and a devoted public servant.
Lloyd Kirkham was born to the late Bobbie and Joe Kirkham, xx, xx, 1942 in Cleveland, Texas. They moved to Tarkington in the mid-1950s and he graduated from Tarkington High School in 1961. At Tarkington, Tookie excelled in many different sports obtaining nine college scholarships, won the state championship in high jump, and received All-State honors in both football and basketball. He attended the University of Corpus Christi for two years on a basketball scholarship.
Tookie married his high school sweetheart, Cordella Price Kirkham, in 1964. Together they had daughters Kem and her husband, Scott Lewis, and Kehle and her husband, Eldon Lewis; grandchildren Rachel Oliver and husband, Jared, Colby Arnold, Parker Lewis and Charli Lewis; and great-grandchildren, River and Jaxon Oliver.…show more content… During that time, he also started a second career in public service starting with an appointment to the Dairy Day Board in 1968. Tookie served in many other public service positions before being elected County Judge, including Tarkington Independent School District Board Member, Cleveland Bank and Trust Board of Directors, and the Soil and Water Conservation District (1974-1994). He was also an involved member at Oak Shade Baptist Church, the Greater Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, Cleveland Rotary Club, the Tarkington Prairie Masonic Lodge #498, and the Sons of Confederate
