Fernander Russell Kirby of Huntsville, Alabama, passed away on Sunday September 17, 2017, at the blessed age of 102.F. R. Kirby was preceded in death by his cherished wife of 70 years, Jean Loftin Kirby. He is survived by his son, Thomas R. Kirby (Sharron); daughter, Patricia K. Gould (Paul); granddaughter, Amy Kirby; grandsons, Parker Gould and Patrick Gould; and great-grandson, Dexter.
At the age of 23, he enlisted in the Army and saw duty during WWII in Africa and Europe, as well as the Korean War. “Kirby”, as he was known in the Army and the rest of his life, achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and retired in 1950 after 20 years of military service. Longing to return home to Alabama, he moved his family to Huntsville, and began a second career at the Marshall Space Flight Center. His NASA profession spanned 25 years and included support for the Mercury and Gemini programs, Apollo missions and Skylab.
Outside of work, Kirby was an active member at First United Methodist Church for over 55 years, and dedicated his time and talents to his beloved Sunday school class, a variety of mission projects, and serving on the administrative board. His hobbies included playing golf with friends and family and refinishing antiques, but his biggest pleasure was cultivating a yearly vegetable garden and sharing the abundance with family, neighbors and friends.
A graveside service commemorating his life will be held on Saturday, September 23rd at 3:00 p.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the CUP program at Huntsville First United Methodist Church, or Floyd “Tut” Fann State Veterans Home.
