FATHER OF SPRING BREAKER MARK KILROY SLAIN BY CULT, DIES

(George Gavito at right standing to the left of Mexican federal judicial commander Juan Bentitez, center, and Oran Neck, of U.S. Customs.)

Special to El RrunRrun

James “Jim” Kilroy, 80, a resident of Galveston County, Texas died on Wednesday, September 18, 2024. Jim was born in Illinois on September 23, 1943 by parents, Bill and Olive Kilroy.

 In 1989, Jim and Helen’s son, Mark was murdered by a drug smuggling satanic cult in Matamoros, Mexico while Mark and his friends were on spring break from college.

.https://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2017/03/spring-break-never-same-after-kilroy.html

Jim and his family immediately forgave the murderers of Mark as taught by Catholic faith. 

Retired lawman and investigator George Gavito – who has kept in touch with the family after he took part in the investigation that uncovered the cult's hideaway and burial grounds of their victims outside of Matamoros – said his remaining son Keith "with a heavy heart" relayed news of his father's death to him yesterday.

"That family went through a lot, especially with the way in which Mark was murdered," he said. "But they forgave his murderers and used it as a positive incentive to help other people. God bless him and grant him peace."  

Jim and his wife Helen founded the Mark Kilroy Foundation(MKF) after visiting Washington, D.C. and meeting with President H.W. Bush and top officials about drug violence.

MKF provided decades of at-risk drug intervention counselors at school districts, decades of summer programs, (i.e. archery, fishing, golfing, etc.), nineteen years of an annual dinner dance fundraisers to fund the summer program and raise drug awareness; and anti-drug scholarships for college and trade schools since 1989. 

Jim wrote the book, "Sacrifice" with co-author, Bob Stewart that accurately depicted Mark’s abduction and story that followed. Jim was the Mark Kilroy Foundation president and chairman of the board from 1989 until his sudden and unexpected death. For more information about Jim’s foundation, visit https://www.markkilroyfoundation.org/ .

Jim Kilroy retired as a chemical engineer where he spent decades working with different refineries throughout the world and was well known in Galveston area refineries. He was never one to brag but he held patents for his employer, Universal Oil Products (UOP), now known as Honeywell UOP, where he first started working as a chemist in 1961 for few years before becoming an engineer.

Many thanks go out to all that prayed for him and his family after he went to the emergency room and subsequently fought for his life at the hospital. His son Keith was by Jim’s side during his hospital stay to pray and comfort him and Jim’s priest made several visits to pray with him and his son. 

Jim was not afraid to die since he knows as a Catholic that we have eternal life and he looked forward to seeing his wife, son, relatives and friends again in Heaven.

A Memorial Mass will be held at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Alvin, Texas on Saturday, November 16, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. with a reception to follow. Jim will have a private burial.