Sandra Kirkpatrick

Sandra Trexler Kirkpatrick, of Greencastle, PA, passed away on June 26, 2022, at the age of 87.

Sandy was born on March 12, 1935, to parents Hazel Carberry Trexler and Frank Baxter Trexler. She was the eldest of three sisters, and grew up in the Philadelphia area.

Her love of animals from a young age was a driving force in her life. Following graduation from George School in 1953, she attended Penn State University to study veterinary science. After three years, she was accepted to vet school, but decided to remain at Penn State to participate on the livestock judging team. While in college, she met, and later married, a fellow vet student, William Kirkpatrick. After graduating from Penn State in 1957, Sandy ultimately decided against vet school and worked as a middle school science teacher in Philadelphia, while Bill finished his veterinary degree.

In 1962, they moved to Greencastle and established the Greencastle Veterinary Hospital. Several years later, they purchased a farm where they would raise their four children, as well as a collection of animals, to include horses, cows, pigs, sheep, rabbits, chickens, dogs, and cats. Sandy was most comfortable among the animals, in a pair of soiled barn boots, wielding a pitchfork. She and Bill had a collection of antique horse-drawn carriages and enjoyed many carriage rides together with their Morgan horses.

In 1983, Sandy completed a master’s degree in family counseling at Shippensburg University, and later worked at Adams-Hanover Counseling and the United Cerebral Palsy Early Intervention Program. After her husband died in 1988, she and a few animals remained on the farm for ten years, during which time she operated Phaeton Farm Bed and Breakfast.

Sandy was an avid reader all her life. Her favorite literary heroine was Char Nyuk Tsin, of Michener’s Hawaii. She had a real appreciation for different cultures and enjoyed trips to Hawaii, Alaska, Europe, China, Tibet, and Kenya. It was during her first trip to China that she met Kunkyi, a young Tibetan woman whom she would later bring to the U.S. to attend graduate school and build a life in New York.

She was a former board member of the Allison-Antrim Museum and briefly served as the board secretary.

She is survived by her sisters, Heather Trexler Remoff and Gail Trexler Snyder; sons William H. Kirkpatrick, Jr. (Carole), J. Brian Kirkpatrick (Shawn), R. Bruce Kirkpatrick (Michele); daughter Elizabeth L. Kirkpatrick; grandchildren Ashley Kirkpatrick Williams (Brian), Brianne Kirkpatrick Boyd (Brett), Jonathan Kirkpatrick (Fiona), Taylor Kirkpatrick (Morgan), Hannah Stull; nine great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and her trusted canine companion of 13 years, Sophie.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Dr. William H. Kirkpatrick; her beloved grandson, Senior Airman William Hunter Kirkpatrick; and animal friends too numerous to mention.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM on Friday, July 1, 2022 in the chapel of Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 333 Falling Spring Road, Chambersburg, PA. The family will receive friends from 7:00 – 9:00 PM on Thursday and one hour prior to the service on Friday at the funeral home. Interment will follow the service in Parklawns Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Seva (global eye care organization) and Heifer International.

The funeral service may be live streamed at: https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/authorise.php?k=1656461727192960