Bobbye Orr Kirkland Lightfoot

Bobbye Orr Kirkland Lightfoot passed at the age of 89 on Friday, Aug. 2.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Jessie Pearl Orr Kirkland and John Robert Kirkland.

She was born in Fort Davis and graduated from Tuskegee High School where she met the love of her life, Frank Koehne Lightfoot. Her parents were determined that she would be an educated lady and sent her to Alabama College in Montevallo. There, she studied physical education and began her lifelong love for her Alma Mater.

She married Frank just before her senior year in 1951. After her graduation in 1952, she returned to Tuskegee and taught at Tuskegee High School. After Frank returned from the Korean War they moved to Notasulga and started their family. In 1956, they moved to her beloved Montevallo, where she lived the rest of her wonderful life.

Her passion was education and taught in the Montevallo and Helena public schools for several years, during this time she completed her Master’s degree in education at Alabama College. In 1971 she began teaching at the newly named University of Montevallo in the College of Education.

During this time she completed her Doctorate of Education at the University of Alabama where she was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Student in Early Childhood Education. She was instrumental in developing the Early Childhood Education Program at Montevallo and served as Chairperson of the Department until her retirement in 1991.

After retirement, she and Frank enjoyed her love for travel and drove through most of the US and Canada. During her life, she received many honors and awards, but her most treasured was the UM Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award in 1989 and the UM Health and Physical Education Department Alumnus of the Year in 1986. She would quickly say that above all her accomplishments, she was mostly proud of her three cherished sons and their families.

She is survived by her loving husband of 68 years, Frank; her sons: Frank Jr. (Kirsten) of St. Augustine, Florida, Kirk (Carol) of Montevallo, and Scott (Kaye) of Greenville; grandchildren, Taylor (Jaime), Ashley, John (Jenny), Marion, Lauren, Megan (Phillip), Chandler (Dakota), Virginia, Cooper, and Ann; great grandchildren, Thomas, Grant, Nora Joelle, Dylan, Luke and Bradley. She loved and left behind countless former students, former classmates, many close friends and relatives.

Visitation at Rockco Funeral Home in Montevallo is Tuesday, Aug. 6 at 10 a.m. with a graveside service at 11 a.m. at the Montevallo Cemetery.

Contributions can be made to the Bobbye Kirkland Lightfoot Scholarship, UofM, PO Box 6000, Montevallo, AL 35115 or to The American Village-Memorials, PO Box 6, Montevallo, AL 35115.