King Pounder Kirchner

November 18, 1927 – September 19, 2023

“Gone Flying!” That’s what the grave marker reads. On September 19, 2023, King P. Kirchner flew to his heavenly home to be reunited with his wife, Lee, and numerous family and friends. King’s extraordinary journey of life began on November 18, 1927, in Kansas City, MO.

He was the only child of parents Kenneth Kenton Kirchner and Thelma P Kirchner. King grew up on a farm west of Perry, OK, riding horses and doing farm chores. Hot summers were spent in the cool mountains of Holy Ghost Canyon, New Mexico, where the family cabin walls are still decoratively hand painted by his mother and favorite Aunt Lottie.

King graduated from Perry High School in 1945, where he was recently recognized as the “oldest” living member of the high school wrestling team. He graduated from Oklahoma A & M (now OSU) in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. Afterwards, he served two years in the army stationed in Germany during the Korean War. King then attended the University of Oklahoma and earned another Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering in 1954. He was also a member of Sigma Nu fraternity.

King put these degrees to good use when he co-founded Unit Drilling Company in 1963 (later Unit Corporation), which started with a $180,000 loan and $10,000 cash, 3 rotary rigs, and 3 employees. In 1979, the Company went public as Unit Drilling and Exploration. By 1981, Unit Corp was a publicly traded oil, gas, and drilling company on the NYSE, which grew to 130 drilling rigs, 3,000 employees, and a 3 billion market capitalization. After retiring, (or should we say “regrouping”), from Unit Corp in 2003, King formed Kirchner Investments, LLC, and in 2008 Rawhide Well Service.

King was a member of YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization) and WPO (World Presidents’ Organization). In 2006, King was inducted to the Oklahoma Hall of Fame and introduced by his friend T. Boone Pickens. He was also inducted to the Collins College of Business Hall of Fame at Tulsa University. He was a long-time member of Southern Hills Country Club.

King was a “fix it” man. It was amazing what a little WD-40 and duct tape could solve with that engineering mind. A friend mentioned, “He’s probably telling St. Peter to put a little WD-40 on that Heavenly Gate!” King did not believe in the word “NO.” He always found a solution to the problem. King loved to “tinker” with his “toys” which included anything fast…boats, motorcycles, cars and especially airplanes. Aviation was his passion where he held multiple pilot ratings, owned hundreds of piston, turboprop, and jet airplanes, and logged over 9,000 hours. He held commercial and ATP pilot license with glider, single engine and multi-engine land, single engine sea, instrument ratings and Lear Jet and Cessna Citation Jet type ratings. At the ripe age of 95, he was still flying!!

King certainly lived up to his name, but his greatest achievement was that he found faith in God.

He will be greatly missed by those left behind. Diane Kirchner, mother of his two sons Kenton and Kyle Kirchner. King Kenton Kirchner (Chris Barber), granddaughter Kasey Kirchner Almand (Luke Harris), and her three children Jadynn, Kinsey and Luke, grandson Cody Kirchner (Keri), son Kyle V. Kirchner, Lee’s daughter, Stephanie Kristen Edwards (Todd), and their daughters Sophia and Lilly, brother-in-law Lawrence Clay Brotherton II (Mary Lou), cousins Krista Schneider Klees (Doug) and Kirk Schneider (Rhonda) and their two sons Kade and Karson, and office manager and long-time friend of 43 years, Jonna Brown.

King was preceded in death by his loving wife Lee Caren Kirchner, his parents Kenneth Kenton Kirchner and Thelma P. Kirchner, his aunt Lottie Schneider, his cousin Kent Schneider, his father-in-law Lawrence Clay Brotherton, mother-in-law Etta Mae Brotherton and sister-in-law Mary Kay Brotherton.

A memorial service will occur in the Memorial Park Cemetery Chapel, located at 5111 S. Memorial Drive, Tulsa, OK, Friday, September 29, 2023, at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the charity of your choice in King’s name.