Kirby S. Graham
GRAHAM Kirby Emory (née Smith) of Vero Beach, FL and New York, NY, passed away peacefully November 22, 2021. She died as she lived, on her terms.
Born in 1932 the only child of the late Irving T. and Florence Bolton Smith, Kirby grew up in Greenwich, CT and Palm Beach, FL. She attended The Ethel Walker School and studied literature and creative writing at Sarah Lawrence College. After a year in Rome, Kirby owned a couture boutique on Madison Avenue, designing for many celebrities including the late Jackie Kennedy Onassis. A dedicated patron of the arts, Kirby used her significant energy and style to create unforgettable charity benefits for American Dance Machine, Bar Harbor Music Festival and The Acting Company. In Vero Beach, she was a member of the Museum of Art, Riverside Theatre and Opera Guild. Her club affiliations included the Cosmopolitan Club, Doubles and the Lawrence Beach Club in New York and the Riomar Country Club, The Moorings Yacht & Country Club and the Riomar Bay Yacht Club in Vero Beach. She was a founding member of The City Church in New York and attended St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church in Vero Beach. Her life was characterized by her warmth, generosity, and humor. All who knew her loved her, and she loved everyone she knew.
Beloved wife of the late Gordon Graham, she is survived by her treasured children, Jennifer Graham
Haskell and her husband Rick of Vail, CO, Gordon Graham, Jr. and his wife Cat of Locust Valley, NY, as well as her stepdaughter Diane Graham of New York, NY. She also leaves behind her cherished grandchildren Olivia Graham of Huntington, NY, Harrison Graham of Locust Valley, NY and Ava Graham-Kandiah of New York, NY.
A celebration of Kirby’s life is planned for 2022 in Vero Beach, FL and New York, NY. Those interested in attending either celebration please email kirbygrahamtribute@gmail.com for further information.
In lieu of flowers, kindly consider making a donation in Kirby’s name to the Vero Beach Museum of Art https://www.vbmuseum.org/product/theannual-fund/ or The Acting Company http://weblink. donorperfect.com/kirbysgraham or the Bar Harbor Music Festival https://www. barharbormusicfestival.org/ donate/
Arrangements by Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory, Vero Beach, FL.A guestbook is available at www. strunkfuneralhome.com