Joe Lee Kirgan, Jr will turn 90 on March 6th. Kirgan owned and operated The Fairfield Recorder from 1960-1985. He began his journalism career at age 13, and later worked for the Baylor Press, Dallas Times Herald, Polk County Enterprise, Corsicana Sun, and The Fairfield Recorder.
He served as a football and basketball official, president of the Chamber of Commerce, a Boy Scout leader, board member for Fairfield Independent School District, 32nd Degree Mason, District Governor of Rotary International, Fairfield City Council, Mayor Pro Tem, and he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce in 2017.
Mr. Kirgan was married to the late Bette Nettle Kirgan; three children, Joe (Lee) Kirgan, Ill and wife Susie, of Fairfield; Kay Watkins and husband Jerry, of Corsicana; Jeff Kirgan, and late wife Monica, of Teague; grandchildren, Angie Kirgan, of Montgomery; Joe L (Jody) Kirgan, IV, and wife Jodi, of Montgomery; Matt Kirgan, of Teague; great-grandchildren, Ashley Felts, and husband Jake, of Midland; Lane Watkins, of Dallas; Brady and Lindsey Vance, of Montgomery; and two great-great-grandchildren, Dax and Doak Felts, of Midland.
The Kirgan family would like to invite their friends and family to a reception Sunday, March 8th, at the Moody-Bradley House, 318 Moody Street, in Fairfield, from 2-4 p.m. Your presence will be his gift.
