Mr. Robert Russell Kilburn, 89, of Florence, passed from this life Monday April 14, 2014. Visitation will be 10am until 11:30am, today, at St. Michael’s Catholic Church with recitation of the Rosary at 11am. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:30am by Father Edward Markley, O.S.B. Burial to follow in St Michael’s Cemetery.
Mr. Kilburn was born in Lauderdale County to the late Robert Oliver and Caroline Rasch Kilburn. He was a member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church and a veteran of WW II, having served in the US Merchant Marine. Mr. Kilburn attended Florence State Teachers College and then began his life-long career as a farmer.
Preceding him in death were his wife, Mary Elizabeth Kilburn and his siblings, Julius Rasch Kilburn and Margaret Kilburn Hayden. Surviving are his children, Susan Thompson (Ralph), Florence, Robert Russell Kilburn, Jr., Florence, Joseph Kilburn (Jill), Fernandina Beach, FL, Katherine Rassizzi (Ted), Tampa, FL, Lisa Newman (Mark), Florence, Mildred Phillips (Dennis), Florence and James Kilburn (Suzanne), Florence; grandchildren, Brandon Handley, Savannah Thompson, Lauren, Josie and Zoe Kilburn, Alex and Tony Rassizzi, John and Matthew Cornelius, Kayla Passarella, Kimberly Russell, and Evan Kilburn; six great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews.
The children would like to extend a special thanks to the administration and staff of Lauderdale Christian Nursing Home for the love, special care and attention given to their father for the year and a half that he was a resident there.
