Patricia Ann Kirby

Patricia Kirby passed away on March 3, 2024, in Jacksonville, Florida.  She was born October 16, 1925, at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the daughter of Colonel James and Mary (nee Langton) Carroll. Patricia grew up in the Army and, after evacuating from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, she graduated from high school in California and went on to graduate from the University of California at Los Angeles at the age of nineteen.  Patricia was a loyal UCLA Bruin and lifelong member of the Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority.

In 1952, she married Gilbert W. Kirby, Jr. (BG, USA Ret) in Alaska.  During their 40 years in the military, they lived throughout the United States and Germany.  Upon retirement, Patricia and Gil moved to South Carolina where they lived 25 years before relocating to be near children in Florida.  By far, her favorite assignment was the twenty years spent at West Point while Gil was a Professor USMA.

Patricia was a devout Catholic whose faith guided her in all things.  She was an avid sports fan and athlete playing tennis into her 80’s and an avid horseback rider as a young woman.  Patricia spent many years volunteering for both the American Red Cross and the Daughters of the United States Army.  She loved to read and passed that love on to all her children.

Patricia was predeceased by her husband, Gilbert; her son, William Kirby (Melanea) of Highland Falls, NY, and her sister, Mary Carroll Nelson. She is survived by her daughters, Anne K. Swanson (Carl) of Atlantic Beach, Fl; Clare K. Jenkins (Richard) of Colorado Springs, CO; Elizabeth K. Fullerton (William) of Jacksonville Beach, FL; and her brother, James L. Carroll of Seguin, TX.  She is also survived by ten grandchildren, Margaret Drake, Patrick Swanson, Kirby Fullerton, Clare Fullerton, Catherine Johnson, Matthew Jenkins, Lucy Perry, Avery Fullerton, Mary Jenkins, and Henry Fullerton and by twelve great- grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Jacksonville Beach at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, March 12 with Reverend Valanarasu Irudayanathan as Celebrant.

Interment will occur later at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Archdiocese for Military Services or Most Holy Trinity Catholic Chapel at West Point, NY.