Robert KIRBY Obituary
KIRBY, Robert Raley longtime resident of St. Petersburg, FL and active member of the community, died Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Services for Mr. Kirby will be at 10 am Tuesday, April 9, at St. Thomas Episcopal Church. Burial will be in Royal Palm Cemetery, under direction of Anderson McQueen. Born June 9, 1947, a native of Duluth, MN, Kirby moved to St. Petersburg with his parents and sister in 1952. He attended Shorecrest, The Lawrenceville School, studied at Syracuse University and earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Louisiana State University in 1973. He received his Master in Business Administration from Harvard University in 1975. Kirby volunteered and served in the Vietnam War as an Army helicopter pilot. He moved through the ranks and was honorably discharged as Captain with numerous decorations and medals, including a Purple Heart. In 1970, he married Jane Randall Walker of Alexandria, LA, at St. James Episcopal Church, where he was a longtime member. He lived in Alexandria until 1990 and held positions at The Guaranty Bank and served as President and CEO of Red River Savings & Loan, along with other related business interests. In 1990, he moved back to St. Petersburg. He became a financial advisor and joined Raymond James where he worked for the balance of his career. He was a member of The Squires Club, The Polywogs and Rotary Club. He was a lifelong Episcopalian and joined St. Thomas Episcopal Church, where he served on the Vestry and enjoyed the Men's Bible Study Group. He loved sports, with a particular passion for hockey and Formula 1 racing. In his later years, he picked up softball and had a blast playing with the Gulfport Boomerangs. He is survived by two sons, Christian Walker Kirby of Fort Myers and Stephen Randall Kirby of Naples; two grandchildren, Raley Robinson and Harper Jane; his former wife, Jane Randall Walker Kirby of Highlands, NC, along with his beloved sister, Heather Kirby Gehring of Palm Desert, CA, and her two children, Carsten and Christina of Minneapolis, MN. The family asks that in lieu of flowers that donations be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 5100 W. Kennedy Blvd. #195, Tampa, FL 33906. give.cff.org/west-florida/donate
Published by Tampa Bay Times on Mar. 31, 2024.
Fred Richards
Fellow classmates
Didnt know Bob as a friend but always enjoyed his company, especially in the several classes we took in common. always upbeat with droll sense of humor.
Richard Tuggle
Bob was a good guy.
richard tuggle
Bill Hamill
Sad to hear about Bob. I had lunch with him in St. Pete about 2015/2016. He was in geat spirits and had that wry smile. One story about Bob. Nick Forstman,Bob and I attended a two week summer hockey camp outside of Minneapolis before the start of our senior year. Nick and I stayed at a friends house on Lake Minnetonka. Bob asked why we had missed a number of the skating sessions. I said because Forstman had found every party or event on the Lake including one that was black tie thus limiting our attendance.