SHARON—A long and multi-layered life came to an end Monday, Feb. 1, 2021, with the death of Edward M. Kirby, 93, a lifelong resident of Sharon and communicant of St. Bernard’s Church. Kirby was born Aug. 26, 1927, the son of Kathleen and Edward J. Kirby. He was married to the former Mary Tobin of Kent for 68 fulfilling years and they had five children. Kirby grew up on the estate of Emily Winthrop Miles, whose mentorship was largely responsible for developing his intellectual curiosity and deep cultural appreciation for the arts and nature.
Following graduation from Housatonic Valley Regional High School in 1945, Kirby served in the Army Combat Engineers as a topographic surveyor in Okinawa, Japan and other Ryukus Islands. Discharged as a corporal, he returned to Connecticut and enrolled in the Teacher’s College of Connecticut (Central Connecticut State University), studying biology, history and coaching. In 1959, he received a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Hartford and in 1971 completed a Sixth-Year Program, also at Hartford. He completed courses in various aspects of education at Vassar College, Seattle Pacific University and the University of Connecticut.
He was first employed as an elementary school teacher at Cornwall Consolidated School, while also acting as a basketball coach for the school and as a volunteer baseball coach at HVRHS. When a teaching position opened at HVRHS, Kirby joined the science department and ultimately enrolled in a summer course in geology at Vassar College, awarded to him by National Science Foundation. It sparked a lifelong interest in geology and led to further development of the geology curriculum at the school. He performed extensive geological research in both the East and the West, as well as authored several books about geology and the local iron industry. He continued to teach geology until 1979, even after being appointed principal in 1966. Following his tenure as the second principal of HVRHS, he became assistant superintendent of schools for Region 1 before retiring in 1985 to pursue other ambitions.
Kirby’s love of all sports gave way to coaching Housatonic’s baseball, football and basketball teams.
“Baseball was always his first love,” said his wife, Mary.
He led his teams to multiple conference championships and state tournament appearances. Kirby scouted for the Pittsburgh Pirates, nurtured the nascent careers of five Housatonic players who signed major league contracts, including Steve Blass, his most accomplished player. In 1971 Blass won game three and game seven of the World Series with two complete game performances. Kirby was twice part of on-field honors at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. He also coached Babe Ruth and Little League teams.
Kirby was an accomplished athlete, excelling in area basketball leagues for years and playing in a softball league, retiring at age 74. He became HVRHS Athletic Director in 1960 and was named to the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1983 with one of the highest winning percentages in the state.
In 1968, Kirby ventured to the American West as a consulting geologist for a small oil company; this was the initial journey of a series of many trips to that part of the country. During these trips, he developed an interest in the people and history of the West culminating in definitive biographies of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and many additional scholarly articles about the American West. When the movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” was released, he kindled a friendship with Butch’s sister whom he brought to the high school to speak to history classes. He served on the advisory boards and boards of directors for the Wild West History Association, the Outlaw Trail History Association and the National Association for Outlaw and Lawman History and was a member of the Western Writers of America. True to form, he spent part of his last Friday watching his favorite movie surrounded by family.
As Kirby developed his skills as an industrial archaeologist, he worked to restore iron industry relics in the tristate region, working as project manager for the preservation of blast furnaces in Lime Rock, Mt. Riga and Canaan, and for the Sharon Valley Lime Kiln. He oversaw preservation of the Sharon Town Clock Tower and the expansion of the Sharon Historical Society building. His work with the Historical Society resulted in his authorship of a number of books focused on local history. He also appeared in numerous television documentaries as an expert in American history.
In addition to serving a long tenure as president of the Sharon Historical Society, he received a lifetime service award in 2013. He also served on the town’s Inland Wetlands & Watercourse Commission from 1972 until 2019 and was active in community politics.
Each Memorial Day, he pulled out his restored 1941 tractor, attached a decorated wagon, loaded it up with his grandchildren. The tradition continued even as the grandchildren grew up. Family and friends recall him as a friendly, witty man with a twinkle in his eye. “It was his sense of humor that was everything for me,” said his wife. “He never lost it.” She recalled that when a tree was planted in his honor at the high school, he was introduced as a Renaissance Man. “I thought that was appropriate,” she said.
Edward Kirby is survived by his wife; three daughters, Anne Kirby and her husband, Fred Kantrowitz, of Medfield, Mass., Maureen Dore and her husband, Thomas P. Dore Jr., of Sharon, and Kaki Kirby and her partner, Charles Caulkins, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; and two sons, Kevin Kirby and his wife, Lynne, of Wethersfield, Conn., and Edward M. Kirby Jr. and his partner, Laurie Cheney, of Kent; seven grandchildren, Gregory, William, Kevin, Jonathan, Kathleen, Emily and Thomas; and a great-grandson, Jack Edward. He was predeceased by his parents and a sister, Mary (Kirby) Loper.
Funeral services will be private with a memorial service to be planned after the corona crisis passes.
Memorial donations may be made to the Edward M. Kirby Scholarship, administered by the trust department at Salisbury Bank & Trust, P.O. Box 1868, Lakeville, CT 06039-1868, c/o Darilyn Woods; to the Sharon Fire Department and Ambulance Squad, P.O. Box 357, Sharon, CT 06069; or to the Sharon Historical Society, visit www.sharonhist.org to make online donations.
