Peter Damian Kirwin

NORTH FALMOUTH — Peter Damian Kirwin, 67, accompanied by all the prayers of the church, died at his home on April 23, 2010. The cause was pancreatic cancer. Born on February 23, 1943, in Albany, N.Y., to the late Arthur R. and Arlene Dwyer Kirwin, Peter is survived by his beloved children, Zachary Arthur Kirwin and Aileen Coakley Kirwin; by his two brothers Arthur R. Kirwin, Houston, Texas, and John D. Kirwin, Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and his brother-in-law Robert J. Krackeler, Menands, N.Y., and many nieces, nephews, great-nephews and nieces; many good friends and colleagues, in particular Barbara Ahalt and Pam Brighton. He was predeceased by his beloved sister, Christine K. Krackeler.

Peter was a graduate of Vincentian Institute, Albany, N.Y., St. Anselm College, and Boston University School of Social Work. He served as a volunteer with the Catholic Church Extension Society, followed by two years in the United States Army.

In 2008, he retired after 25 years as Director of Human Services for the Town of Falmouth. Prior to that, he was Director of Catholic Charities on Cape Cod. He spent four years as Adjustment Counselor for the Sandwich Schools. His first position on the Cape was with the predecessor of FAIRWINDS. On April 11, 2010, the FAIRWINDS Center was named in his honor. In his long tenure as Director of Falmouth Human Services, Peter was actively engaged in starting, promoting and encouraging affordable housing, social services of all kinds, and the Falmouth Service Center. Peter worked for many years with Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital. He had a private counseling practice for twenty years. He loved all his work and he sorely missed it after retirement and his subsequent illness.

Peter served on the Falmouth School Board and was active in Democratic state and local politics, especially with the Falmouth Town Meeting, and was recently honored as a founder of the Falmouth Education Foundation.

At his request, Peter's body has been donated to Boston University, Department of Neurology and Anatomy.

In lieu of flowers, Peter requested that ongoing relief efforts in Haiti be supported or Partners in Health, P. O. Box 845578, Boston, MA 02284-5578.

A Memorial Service will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 840 Sandwich Road, East Falmouth, on April 28, at 11 a.m., followed by a reception at the Falmouth Jewish Congregation.