Killeen City Councilman Jim Kilpatrick Passes Away After Battling COVID-19

A Killeen City Council member who had been on the council since 2015 recently died after battling COVID-19.

According to a report from our news partners at KWTX, Killeen City Councilman Jim Kilpatrick, 73, passed away on Tuesday. Kilpatrick served on the city council since May 9, 2015. He served as Mayor Pro Tem from 2017 to 2019, and was a member of the Killeen Planning and Zoning Commission from 1996 to 2003.

The Killeen Daily-Herald reports that Kilpatrick served in the Army for 20 years after being drafted at 19. He served in Vietnam, and received the Silver Star for his service. In honor of his service for not only the city council, but America as well, the City of Killeen flag has been lowered to half staff, as ordered by Killeen Mayor Jose Segarra.

Kilpatrick was admitted into the hospital at AdventHealth Central Texas, where he was placed in the intensive care unit. Later, Kilpatrick was moved to the hospital’s Critical Care Unit.

Unfortunately, after a long battle with COVID-19, Kilpatrick died Tuesday. His wife passed away December 15 of heart failure, and the two are survived by their five children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

It is vital that we continue to practice social distancing, actively washing our hands, and that we wear a mask. We should work to do everything possible to slow the spread of this virus. Even healthy and young individuals are susceptible, so let's do our part to keep as many people as safe and healthy as we can.