Timothy Kirby Jr., 87, of Red Bank, passed peacefully into God’s hands Dec. 10 in the arms of his wife of 62 years and surrounded by his loving children.
Tim was born in New York City to the late Timothy Kirby Sr. and Margaret (O’Connor) Kirby. He spent his childhood in New York and graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War where he was severely injured on an aircraft carrier, the USS Oriskany, and was honorably discharged. In 1957, he graduated from the City College of New York with a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering and also attained his professional engineering license.
Tim started his career in 1957 with M&T Chemicals. He managed and developed the process engineering for chemical plants in many locations and it kept him and his family on the move. Tim lived in Kentucky, the Netherlands and multiple parts of New Jersey, including an extended period in Hillsborough. After retiring from his long career with a division of M&T Chemicals, he began working as a consulting engineer for various pharmaceutical companies and finally settled in Red Bank in 1998.
He loved the ocean and delighted in body surfing and digging holes with his children and grandchildren in the sand. He found great joy in singing and took part in the choir at the many churches he belonged to throughout his adult life. He enjoyed reading, astronomy, racquetball, basketball and tennis and he had a passion for travel that took him around the world.
Timothy is predeceased by his son Timothy Kirby III and his grandchildren Ryan Kaiser and Lesley Burke. He is survived by his beloved wife Dolores (Desmond) Kirby; his loving children Diane Burke and her husband John, Greg Kirby and his partner Jose Camacho, John Kirby and his partner Joseph Valmores, Chris Kirby and his partner Pedro Quesada and Lauren Kaiser and her husband Andrew; his daughter-in-law Louise Cameron Lee; his cherished grandchildren Connor and Laura Burke, Jack and Jamie Kaiser, and Logan, Ben and Cameron Kirby; his dear sister Margaret Kane; and his brother-in-law Thomas Desmond. Also surviving are many loving nieces, nephews and cousins.
A memorial gathering was held Dec. 15 at the John E. Day Funeral Home, Red Bank. A Mass of Christian Burial was held Dec. 16 at the Church of the Nativity in Fair Haven. Interment of cremated remains followed at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Middletown.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be sent in Timothy’s memory to Habitat for Humanity at habitat.org/restores/donate-goods or to any mental health organization.
Please visit Timothy’s memorial website available at johnedayfuneralhome.com.
