We were all saddened by the recent loss of Don Kirk, beloved friend and fellow puppeteer.

To celebrate Don's life and contribution to the puppetry community, Shirley Green has kindly written the following tribute.

Don Kirk, My Friend

Don was my friend but I would have to correctly say "our friend," or even more correctly, "everyone's friend." There was never a person who Don ever met that wasn't instantly his friend. If he was unhappy about a situation or didn't feel well, you wouldn't have known it, because he never complained and was always cheerful with a smile on his face.

Don was such a rare human being--never talked about himself like the majority of performers in the arts. It was never "I." It was always with an interest in what the other person was doing or had to say. Self-importance was never his style. However, if any one ever had reason to feel pride in his life's work it was Don.

He was born in Indiana but grew up in Chicago. He served in the Army and then went to broadcasting school to study Communications. He met Connie, his wife of 56 years, while he was was working as a radio announcer in Coshocton, Ohio, at WTNS. Don and Connie moved to Columbus, where Don worked as a radio announcer at WCOL. Later he sold insurance before forming "Kirk's Puppets" in the 1970's. Don and Connie were a team and spent many years writing and performing puppet shows for schools, parties, conferences, Renaissance Fairs, and other events all around Ohio. Their work was so well known and respected throughout the performing arts community that it quickly became a full-time profession, and continued up to their retirement in 2003 due to Don's back problems. They traveled and performed all over Ohio and--as all puppeteers know--to set up a puppet stage requires a good back. When they designed and built their portable stage, it was back before the light-weight materials now in use were available, so it was all of wood. If there ever was a sad time for Don and Connie, and loss to the art of puppetry in Ohio, it was at his untimely retirement.

Many will remember their versions of the classic "Punch and Judy Show" and their beloved joke-telling dog "Old Rug". Old Rug was a basset hound type dog that came into being years ago when they performed shows on the third floor of the old Worthington Inn, with Bill Bauer and Alice Rhodes. Rug's name then was Old Worthy (named for the Inn) but when they went off on their own, he became Old Rug. He had long floppy ears, a shiny nose, and soulful eyes. I was clowning in those days and occasionally would be performing at the same festival or fund raiser as they were, so I was lucky to get to see them work. Old Rug was a riot. Before the main show, old Rug would warm up the audience. Connie would be standing next to the stage with mike in hand, talking to the children. Suddenly, Old Rug would show up somewhere around the stage--usually on top of it, and carry on a very funny conversation with Connie and the kids. Their most popular show was "The Three Little Pigs." Don was a perfectionist and no one was ever aware of his arm, and his hand in the puppet. Don wrote all their own material and there was never any recorded script. It was all the live voices of Don and Connie. Don also toned down the shows so as not to make children cry, like one time when a little boy was traumatized when the crocodile tried to eat Punch. Don never used the crocodile again.

The only way to describe Don's voice would be warm, friendly, and smooth as honey. Don was also an active member of the Grandparents Living Theater, where he wrote and performed in dramatic, comedic, and musical theater. His writing included several old-time radio spoofs, and he had a life-long interest in humorous and whimsical poetry for his own pleasure. In recent years Don returned to the world of radio with a monthly broadcast on Voice Corps radio, in which he selected a wide range of music, poetry, and fiction that reflected his own broad taste in the arts.

Don was a long-time member of the Puppeteers of America and the Columbus Puppetry Guild, and will be greatly missed. No matter how much in pain Don was in recent years, the Guild could always count on him to perform his"Stone Soup" for variety shows. Don had a gift of loving children, and they responded back with interest and laughter. The children never felt intimidated or frightened.

Don and Connie have two sons of which they have been very proud. They obviously passed along their talent genes to both of them. Daniel and David both are well-known authors and illustrators of children's books. David's Miss Spider books are now a TV series, "Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends," which is the most colorful and best television show that I've ever seen. Among Daniel's over twenty published books is Dogs Rule that has a CD that comes with it of songs he composed and sings. Don was so terribly proud of his sons' achievements and just beamed when he shared them with the Guild members. Don and Connie also have six lovely grandchildren.

This has been the first time I have shed tears from hearing of a death
since my husband died seven years ago. That is how fond I was of Don Kirk.

--Shirley Green