Dr. John Thomas "JT" Kirby Jr.'s Obituary
Dr. John Thomas Kirby Jr. (JT) died in his home on July 29, 2015 in La Crosse, Florida. He was 85.
JT was born on October 23, 1929, on a cold October morning in a farm house about two miles from La Crosse, Florida. He grew up on the farm, as a farmer's child, working in all phases of farm life. He attended La Crosse Elementary and Junior High School through the ninth grade and then moved over to the "big" high school at Alachua. Here he received a firm educational background with excellent teachers, and though not really an athlete, played a bit on the basketball team.
He entered the University of Florida and graduated with a BS in three years. He and his long-time sweetheart, Effie Hargrave, taught school at Bushnell High and they were married on Thanksgiving Day of 1950. They later had four children and now have eleven grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren.
JT began his teaching career at Bushnell High School in 1950 and then was invited to teach science at Alachua High in 1951. However, at the end of the 1951-1952 school year Uncle Sam sent greetings and JT became a private in the US Army. He served in Korea during the war there and was promoted to Sergeant First Class and served as Regimental Radio Chief. After discharge from the military, he returned to the U. of F. as a graduate student and teaching assistant, receiving the Doctoral degree in Educational Administration in 1957. He subsequently taught at U.F., then worked as the Research Director at the Florida Education Association in Tallahassee.
When the state opened a new university at Boca Raton, Florida Atlantic University, JT was invited to join the founding faculty there. Seeing an opportunity, JT and Effie and the then three children made the pilgrimage to the wilds of South Florida. As it developed they were there for 26 years, as full community participants. JT's work at the university grew with the institution and, through the years, he became a full professor, department chair, dean and associate vice president. While graduate dean, JT was appointed to the Palm Beach County School Board by the governor to fill an incomplete term, then ran for the office and served again. This was during the tumultuous desegregation years.
After retiring in 1985, JT and Effie became frequent RV travelers. They have RV'ed in the 49 continental states, visiting Alaska three times, traveled in all of the Canadian provinces and about half of the Mexican states. Wherever they have lived they have been active church members and community participants. Philosophically, they believe in leaving a community, a school and especially the young people around them as better places or people because of their involvement.
John Thomas Kirby Jr. is survived by his wife, Effie Hargrave Kirby; his children and their spouses John Turner Kirby Sr. (Dee Schultz Kirby), Joseph Henry Kirby Sr. (Rose Forsythe Kirby), Robert Thomas Kirby (Margie Chesel Kirby), and Penelope Ann Kirby (Kenneth Kopczynski); his grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Funeral Services will be held Monday, August 3, 2015 at 11:00 a.m., at Antioch Baptist Church, 3612 NW 177th Avenue, with Pastor Daniel Kendall officiating. Interment will follow in Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Florida Baptist Children’s Home, La Crosse Campus.
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