Gordon William Ivins Kirby

Gordon William IvinsKirby It tolls for thee...  Gordon William Ivins Kirby, 86, died August 8, 2003 in his sleep at home. He had pneumonia. Gordon was born June 12, 1917 in Salt Lake City to Irene Midgley Kirby and Gordon Ivins Kirby.Kirby was a rebel with a cause for the common man. He had no pretenses and was known for his inquiring mind and no-nonsense attitude, contesting authority, and phoniness. He championed the underdog and was happiest serving others. He was a generous, concerned father. Gordy loved books, animals, birds, Brighton, and beautiful wisecracking women. Gordon had many jobs from golf caddy, gandy dancer to publisher and editor of a weekly newspaper, The Sugarhouse Post Sentinel, 1938-40. One of his favorite jobs was at Utah Legal Services, 1979-93. He also worked at The Deseret News, The Salt Lake Telegram, The Boise Statesman, The Mount Kisco Patent Trader, The Stamford Advocate, and the Mount Vernon Daily Argus. From 1949-59 he owned and operated Kirby's store at 20 E. South Temple and 60 E. South Temple. Gordon worked until the age of 84 as an information specialist at the Salt Lake International Airport. Kirby was drafted into the U.S. Army 1940 and was honorably discharged, 1945. He was a cameraman and chief editor in the Signal Corps for General Eisenhower's staff in London and Paris during World War II. While at the Deseret News Gordon met and married society editor Ruth Jacobsen, 1946; they divorced, 1978. He married Colleen Mortensen Makoff Sugden, 1979; she died in 1986. With the GI Bill, Gordon received his BA degree in American Literature and English at Stanford University, 1949. He researched information about Joe Hill for Wallace Stegner's book" The Preacher and the Slave." While at Stanford Gordon bought his first Labrador retriever. Henry Miller and Ernest Hemingway were his favorite authors. He collected Hemingway's first editions and donated them to the U of U Library. He also donated 50 original photographs of the Normandy landings. A dog fight between Gordon's Labrador and Finn Gurholt's malamute-wolf in front of Alta's Peruvian Lodge was the beginning of an intense and enduring friendship with Finn and his wife, Grete. He was like an uncle to their children, Nelly Anne, Guri, Finnlandia, and Finn, a.k.a. Butchie. A highlight of his life was an epic year in France with his wife, three daughters, three cats, one dog and a Volkswagen bus. Gordon was very proud that he quit smoking and drinking on the same day in 1982. Gordon is survived by daughters, Susan J. Kirby (Jesse Riley), Jane K. Wallace (Andy Wallace), Catherine J. Kirby (Tim Begue); brothers, John Ivins Kirby (Helen, deceased), La Jolla, CA, Richard Ivins Kirby (Kitty), Key Biscayne, FL; and best friend, Ruth J. Kirby. Special gratitude goes to Catherine for her diligent and loving care. Many thanks to his neighbors, Robert L. Bero, Marcie Bero; brother, John; Eclipse Home Health staff, Wendy Flath, Dr. Alison Schlisman; VA Hospital staff; Harmony Hospice; and to all of his wonderful friends. Gordon's ashes will be scattered with the ashes of his last dog, Minnie. A celebration of his life is being planned. Those wishing to honor Kirby are encouraged to contribute to the Salt Lake County Animal Shelter, 511 W. 3900 S, SLC, UT 84123. "No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as manor of thy friends or of thine own were; any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.              John Donne, Devotions XVII