Harold L. Kirkwood, a World War II veteran and retired State Highway Administration senior engineer, died Thursday of cancer at Gilchrist Hospice Care in Columbia. He was 89.
The son of Wilmer Kirkwood, a lead burner, and Mary Madeline Harthausen Kirkwood, a homemaker, Harold Lloyd Kirkwood was born in Baltimore and raised in Irvington.
After graduating in 1943 from Polytechnic Institute, Mr. Kirkwood enlisted in the Navy and served as a radio operator aboard Landing Ship Tank 857 in the Pacific Theater, and participated in the invasion of Okinawa in 1945.
After being discharged in 1945, he attended the University of Maryland, College Park for several years, and in 1950 joined the old State Roads Commission, predecessor to the current State Highway Administration.
As a senior engineer, Mr. Kirkwood served as a consultant on a variety of projects, including the construction of Interstate 83, I-795 and Baltimore's Metro subway. He retired in 1986.
Mr. Kirkwood, a resident of Ellicott City for more than 50 years, enjoyed electronics and computers.
"Anything gadget you could plug in, we had," said his wife of 62 years, the former Joan Noon.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Harry H. Witzke's Family Funeral Home, 4112 Old Columbia Pike, Ellicott City.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Kirkwood is survived by a son, Robert Kirkwood of Nashua, N.H.; three daughters, Jennifer Lotfi of Rockville, Ellen Rothkugel of Lewes, Del., and M. Grace McCauley of Tokyo; 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.