serving humbly: remembering john kirt

Serving Humbly

FROM CARPENTRY TO KINDNESS, JOHN KIRT’S HANDIWORK REMAINS PRESENT ALL ACROSS CAMPUS.

—Brendan J. O’Brien, Director of Communication

To describe him as willing, or hardworking, wouldn’t be working hard enough to articulate the innate selflessness of a man who spent the last two-plus decades doing everything possible to ensure his Prairie School colleagues were cared for.

This past March, John Kirt, beloved member of Prairie’s Facilities Team for the last 25 years, passed away with his family by his side.

John’s desire to serve – whether it be his coworkers, his community, or his church – was relentless. Calm and kind-hearted, happy and humble, he was the kind of guy who made an impression, the kind you were lucky to be around.

And boy were we ever. Whether receiving a hearty “Hello!” while passing him as he hurriedly pushed a metal dolly across campus, watching him eagerly build a custom cabinet for a home or office, or sitting down to share a bowl of soup in the Dining Room, we were so very lucky to be around him.

Having helped take Prairie from tile to carpet, having been a part of campus additions such as the Upper School, the JAC, and the Ruud Family Soccer Complex (just to name a few), John’s work regularly involved blueprints. How fitting, then, that the way he went about his craft, the way he treated others and cared for his family, the way he lived his life, offers all of us a perfect plan to follow as we strive to be our best selves.