Colonel Thomas K. Kirkpatrick, Louisiana National Guard (Retired), passed away Tuesday, October 13, 2009 from a lengthy battle with cancer. Kirkpatrick was General Counsel for the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and was appointed by former Governor Kathleen Blanco as the State Coordinating Officer for Louisiana's recovery efforts from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. He was re-appointed to the post by Governor Bobby Jindal.

"'Colonel K', as he was affectionately known, was an outstanding leader, champion, and humanitarian in his selfless drive to assist the local parishes and citizens of Louisiana in recovering from the worst disaster in our country's history. Even in his last days, he continued to be dedicated and engaged in the business of recovery and doing what is right for the people of Louisiana," said GOHSEP Director Mark Cooper.

"At a time when many within the state were overcome by the magnitude of the destruction of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Colonel Kirkpatrick provided exemplary leadership and direction during the response and recovery efforts to our country's largest natural disaster. His efforts came at great personal sacrifice as he underwent chemotherapy while working extremely long hours under difficult conditions for many months to ensure an effective response and to set the stage for a strong recovery," said GOHSEP Chief of Staff Mark Riley.

Kirkpatrick, who spent eleven years with the state, was instrumental in obtaining more than $8 billion in recovery funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Prior to working at GOHSEP, he was in charge of National Guard Youth Challenge Program.

Kirkpatrick was 65 years old. Family members request donations to be made to Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge for which he was a member of its board.