Tina Louise Kirkman

Services will be streamed and can be accessed at 10:45 a.m. prior to service by clicking on the following link - https://zoom.us/j/92761736348?pwd=V3lDblFMMUVZS29nWnZJTVA2RUlRZz09

Tina Louise Elison Kirkman (44), our warrior mom, wife, sister, daughter, and friend, passed away at home on May 8, 2023 after a 12-year battle with adenoid cystic carcinoma. After originally being diagnosed in 2011, Tina underwent surgery and aggressive chemotherapy and enjoyed several years in remission before the cancer returned in 2014. Fueled by a mother's desire to watch her three boys grow to adulthood, Tina fought valiantly for the next nine years.

Tina was born to Craig Elison and Louise Hintze Elison on August 13, 1978 in Salt Lake City, Utah, the second of their five children. Her fierce warrior nature was evident from an early age. Once, while camping with her family in Snow Canyon, Tina fell off a 30-foot cliff, breaking 13 bones, including seven vertebrae, both legs and ankles, and an arm. She was 8 years old. She has always been a survivor. 

Growing up, Tina enjoyed a variety of activities with her brothers and sisters, cousins, and neighborhood kids--anything from playing basketball to playing dress up. She played the piano beautifully and was on the seminary council and in Madrigals as part of the first graduating class of Copper Hills High School in 1996. She met her true love, KC Kirkman, after high school while both were working at Franklin Covey. Tina waited for him while he served a two-year mission to London, England. Even now, she loves all things English because he does. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on December 15, 1999.

Tina’s greatest accomplishment and her greatest joy are her three boys, Kolby, Tyler and Karsan. She is a committed football mom and went to every game, even when she had to be pushed in a wheelchair and use a portable battery to power her oxygen. After each game, you could see her boys searching the crowd for her so they could give her a big sweaty hug. It was touching to see many of her bonus football “sons," come up and hug her after each game as well. She was so excited to see one of her boys recently commit to play college football. In fact, her last Instagram post was about his college commitment. Her three big, football-playing boys were tender and gentle with their mother, especially as her body declined and became so frail.

When it became too hard for Tina to travel with her family, she and KC bought a boat so that even though she couldn't physically participate with her boys, she could ride on the boat and watch them surf and ride the tube. She wanted them to live life to the fullest--and she wanted to be there for it. She was also a "dog mom" and loved all of her dogs: Kirby, Makena, Penny, Lizzie, Maggie, and Spike. Maggie was always on the bed next to Tina, and, toward the end of her life, Spike wouldn’t leave her side. 

Tina had a special gift for creating and loved jewelry-making, scrapbooking and card-making. Since her boys are more partial to football than crafting, Tina shared her talents with nieces and girls in the ward. She also loved to cook (especially family favorites skunk eggs and aebleskivers) and had recipes and kitchen gadgets for everything. She loved shoes, fashion, and makeup and always had a fashion magazine or a good book nearby. Tina was also the family go-to girl for anything Hollywood and always had the latest "tea" on movies and actors. She loved the Oscars and hosted a yearly Oscar party, complete with ballots so that everyone could vote along with the members of the Academy. Invariably, Tina most accurately picked the actual Oscar winners in each category.

Tina has a strong testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She loved serving in the Young Women’s program and planned an amazing girls camp one year (crafts included). She also loved teaching Relief Society. Tina loves quotes, and one of her favorites is from Confucius: “It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.”

When Tina was first diagnosed with cancer, her biggest fear was that she wouldn’t be able to see her boys grow up. Being the survivor that she is, she battled to the very end and is so proud of the young men she and KC have raised. In one of her last acts of love, Tina recorded individual video messages for KC, Kolby, Tyler and Karsan. 

On Monday, May 8th, Tina was welcomed home by her beloved grandparents, Henry and Thelma Hintze and Rolland and Leah Elison, and her father-in-law Ken “Pop” Kirkman. In addition to her beloved KC and their three boys, she is survived by her parents, Craig and Louise Elison, siblings Shelley Peterson (Brandon), Katie Houston (Joe), Scott Elison (Chelsey), and Kyle Elison (Sarah), mother-in-law Karen Kirkman, sister-in-law Kortnie Aldous (Mike) and many loving nieces and nephews.

Tina has dealt with so much pain over the last several years. We’re grateful that her suffering has ended and she is finally at peace. Within our family and throughout this tribute, we've referred to her in the present tense because we know, as she did, that because of our Savior, Jesus Christ, she still lives, and we will see her again and watch her envelop KC and her three boys in a fierce hug. We’d like to thank the many doctors and caregivers who have treated Tina over the years, as well as the staff at the Huntsman Cancer Institute and the hospice nurses who took care of her this past year. 

A viewing will be held Thursday May 11 from 6-8 pm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 4986 South Valois Drive, Taylorsville. Funeral services will be held at the same location on Friday, May 12 at 11:00 am with a viewing starting at 9:30 am. Internment will be at Memorial Redwood Cemetery - 6500 South Redwood Road.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Huntsman Cancer Institute. 

Warriors Never Quit