Kirby, Helen Martha
Helen Martha Kirby, age 95, beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend completed her life’s journey on December 29th, 2016. Helen, the daughter of John
L. and Bertha Sprowls Post, was born September 16, 1921 in Washington County, PA. Helen was the youngest of five children sisters Mary Irwin, Alice Berry, and Dorothy Knox and brother Clarke, all deceased. She graduated from Claysville High School and the Washington Seminary for Women. She met the love of her life, Leonard Kirby, while attending seminary; they married in 1943. Leonard served as a pilot in the Army Air Corps during WW II and tours of duty had them in Bakersfield, CA; Phoenix, AZ; and Roswell, Deming and Alamogordo, NM. At the conclusion of the war, Helen and Leonard returned to Western PA where Leonard taught High School English and Helen was a housewife and mother.
In 1960 the Kirby family moved to Belen, NM, where Leonard worked in the school system as teacher, principal and administrator for 25 years. Helen worked as a teller and branch manager for the 1st National Bank of Belen, retiring in 1985. Helen and Leonard were founding members of the Belen Presbyterian Church and served it in many capacities. Leonard died suddenly of cancer in 1989, and while a great loss, Helen continued to stay active and enjoy a full life. With the encouragement of family and friends she resumed an active life. She stayed active in the Belen Presbyterian Church; as a cancer survivor she volunteered for more than 20 years at the Belen Breast Cancer Imaging Center; she traveled extensively with her many "widow friends" from Rio Communities and Belen; but probably her greatest joy was traveling to greet new great grandchildren and celebrate the weddings and college graduations and lives of her grandchildren.
In 2005 as health issues became of concern, Helen moved to Albuquerque to be closer to her sons. She moved into La Vida Llena where she lived until her death. The last seven years she was a resident of Mi Casa, the memory unit of La Vida Llena. Helen’s family is especially grateful for the love and care she received while in Mi Casa; & to AmberCare Hospice.
Helen is survived by her three children: David and wife Linda of Albuquerque; L. William (Bill) and his wife Elizabeth of Albuquerque; and Beth Hahn and her husband Harold of El Paso, TX. Helen had seven grandchildren and 12 great -grandchildren, who were the delight of her life.
A memorial Service will be held at Sandia Presbyterian Church, 10704 Paseo del Norte, Albuquerque, NM, Monday, January 2nd, 2017, at 2:00 PM. Albuquerque. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Sandia Presbyterian Church, the Alzheimer’s Association or the Susan G. Komen Foundation.