Arthur L. Kirby

Arthur L. Kirby, age 81, of Salem, died Saturday, August 10, 2019, at the Avantara Care Center in Salem. Funeral services will be 11:00 AM, Thursday, August 15, 2019, at the Church of Christ in Sioux Falls. Burial with Military Honors will follow at Graceland Cemetery in Madison.

Arthur Lee Kirby was born March 2, 1938 at home in Anderson, Indiana at the address of 2026 Henry St. to Lawrence and Linnie B. (Girt) Kirby. He weighed approximately 2 lbs. at birth. He attended school at Hazelwood Elementary in Anderson , Anderson High School, then North Vernon High School, Indiana. He was a golden gloves boxer and also boxed for the Air Force.

Arthur proudly served his country for 23 years in the United States Air Force while serving in Turkey in 1965 with his first wife Rosemary (Evans) Esparza and family until they lost their precious daughter Rhonda Lee tragically to fire. Not more than a year later he found himself in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive. He retired from military service in 1977.

He was married to his loving wife DeAnn Janet (Gimpel) Kirby on October 28, 1973. They were married for 46 years. He was a member of the Church of Christ in Sioux Falls. Arthur will be remembered for his love of Jesus, family and fishing. He had a special relationship with his granddaughter Alyssa Lee (Kirby) Hines. Arthur had four children.

Arthur is survived by his wife DeAnn; his three sons James, Paul, and Donald; his three grandchildren Alyssa, Ashley, and Christopher ; two great grandchildren Mason, and Nathan; three brothers Robert, Paul and Richard Wayne Kirby and one sister Caroline (Kirby) Gilroy.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his precious daughter Rhonda Lee, and one brother James Calvin Kirby.

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