Robert Kirby

Robert Bob John Kirby, 65, beloved husband, father, and grandfather passed away on July 9, 2013 as the result of an auto accident.A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 7, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. at Hillcrest Lawn Memorial Chapel, 1410 13th Str. So., Great Falls, MT with burial to follow at the Tiger Butte Cemetery south of Belt, Montana. Schnider Funeral Home is handling arrangements.Bob was born on August 5, 1947 in Great Falls, Montana to Thomas Tom and Nina Kirby. He was the second oldest of 6 boys who were raised in Great Falls. As a kid, he spent most of his summers out in the Tiger Butte area working on his uncles ranches. He graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1965.Upon graduation he went to work for the U.S. Forest Service working on the trail crew out of Schafer. In 1968, he enlisted in the U.S. Army as a radio operator where he served a tour in Vietnam. After being honorably discharged in 1971, he returned to the U.S. Forest Service as part of a road crew out of Hungry Horse, Montana. It was during this time that Bob met the love of his life, Vicki Rose.The young couple was married on December 27, 1972 in Columbia Falls. Three children, Robert Rob, Samaria Sammi, and Traci soon followed between 1975 and 1980.Following their marriage, the young couple moved to Denver, CO where Bob attended the Colorado Trade School, where he earned a Gunsmithing Certificate. Upon his completion of school they moved back to Hungry Horse where Bob again went to work for the Forest Service while attending Flathead Community College at nights working on his general studies. When he completed the general studies, he attended MSU-Bozeman where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture.In the fall of 1981, Bob and his family moved to Belt where he did his student teaching then finished out the school year as the VoAg teacher. He then took the same job in Stanford the next year. In 1985, the family again moved, this time to Cut Bank, where Bob took the job as MSU Extension Agent. He remained in Cut Bank until health problems forced him to take a medical retirement. In September 1998, he and Vicki moved to the Knees Community east of Brady where he was currently residing on a small farm raising a wide range of animals and spending time with his grandchildren. Bob enjoyed hunting, fishing, working with his animals, and teaching his grandchildren about whatever they asked about that interested them. He was always looking forward to the annual Labor Day camping trip the whole family would take in the mountains. Bob also enjoyed packing horses into the Bob Marshall Wilderness for hunting, fishing, or even just to sit around the campfire telling stories.He was a member of the local VFW and American Legion. Bob was also an active member of the area Wool Pool having traveled to many different seminars concerning both sheep and wool production.Bob is survived by his wife, Vicki; children Rob (Roseina), Samaria, and Traci; grandchildren Zachary, Victoria, and Cody; parents Tom and Nina; brother Fran, Roy (Suzanne), and Tim; and many nieces and nephews.He was preceded in death by his brothers, Daniel and Edward; along with many aunts and uncles.