Robert "Bob" Lee Kirby

Robert Lee Kirby, known to family and friends as "Bob", passed away on May 1, 2021, at the age of 72 years. Bob was born to parents Bud and Helen in Champaign, Illinois on December 11, 1948.

Bob grew up in a loving family in Champaign, Illinois. He joined the Air Force in 1968 and served as a Radar Tracker for four years in several locations including Thailand. 

Bob married Peg in 1968 and they had their son, Ken, in 1971. For the next few years, Bob would work during the day and go to school at night, all while taking care of his wife and son. They got divorced and he moved to Colorado in the early 1980s. While living as a single-man in his 30s, Ken called him wanting to move to Colorado. Bob, not hesitating at all, immediately made arrangements for his sixteen year old son to move in with him. Within a week, he went from single-bachelor to single-dad in a one-bedroom apartment. A few years later, he bought a house on Truckee Way, unknowingly moving across the street from who would become his second-family. Bob and Pam married in 1998 when he took on his two daughters Brittany and Lacey. They divorced and remained good friends. Over the years, Bob would take care of everyone in his life. 

Bob was known as a self-sufficient hard-worker. He worked many different jobs over the years including stuffing newspapers, volunteer firefighting with his Dad, running a fire alarm company, finally retiring as a Fire Alarm Specialist. His hobbies included wood-work, guns, trimming, watching westerns, reading and talking to his sister, Betsy, every Sunday at 7am.

He is survived by his son Kenneth Kirby, daughters Lacey Hyde and Brittany Brooks, sisters Betsy Kirby Carper and Linda Kirby Dorsey, brother Scott Kirby, grandkids Talayna, Quincy Jr., and blended family members including Margie Thrash, Pam Hyde, Peg Kirby, Ron Carper and Quincy Haeberle.

A Celebration of Bob’s life will be held from 2-4pm, on Thursday, May 20, at Village Greens Park.