Kirt was born in Clovis, NM on July 4, 1953.  He was raised in Farwell, Texas where he graduated from High School.  He attended Lubbock Christian College where he received a Bachelors Degree in Agriculture Business.  He later received his Masters at Oklahoma State and his PH.D from Texas Tech University. He met his wife, Nancy, while attending Lubbock Christian College. They were married on   December 27, 1975 in Cincinnati, Ohio.     He has two daughters, who are now married.  Lucy McDougle and her husband Mike have been missionaries in Hangzhou, China, since 2013. Olivia Nelson and her husband David are missionaries in Tauranga, New Zealand. Kirt and Nancy have four grandsons.

Kirt has been a member of Sunset from 1978 to 1986 and then from 1992 to present. He has been an elder since May of 2000.

His hobbies are gardening and camping. He enjoys teaching on Creation/Evolution. His favorite food is his wife’s enchiladas.