By George Slaughter
Kirk Rightmire
Kirk Rightmire, 56, who died January 4 after years of battling an autoimmune disease, is being remembered for his community service in the Katy area.
Rightmire will be honored with a celebration of life service that is set for 1:30 p.m. in rooms 104-107 at the College of Biblical Studies, 7000 Regency Square Blvd., in Houston. Since July, he had served as director of enrollment services and advising at the college. He earned his bachelor’s degree in 2004 there.
“He was so excited that they hired him to come back there,” Jean Machann, a Katy real estate agent and friend, said. “I was so happy for him, even though he was going to be so far away, but he’d still be a part of us out here.”
Machann and Rightmire served together in the Katy Business Association, a local professional networking group. Machann said Rightmire was serving as president when he began having issues with his health a few years ago. At his request, she resumed serving as association president.
Rightmire served as head of school from 2009-2018 at Faith West Academy. During many of these years he also served as managing director of Camp West Recreation, as well as founder and director of the Eagle Initiative. In 2018, he became principal and chief operating officer of the Westside Christian Chamber.
“He was a great leader when he served in the Katy Business Association,” Machann said. “He’s going to be a great loss for the community. He was an inspiration to many people in the Katy area with his positive attitude. There was never any negativity. Children got a good education at Faith West Academy.”
Machann described Rightmire as a dear friend who will be greatly missed.