Kirby Walker

Kirby Walker

November 2, 1956 – August 4, 2019

Documentary filmmaker and activist Kirby Walker passed away on Sunday, August 4th, after a protracted and difficult struggle with melanoma. She lived an enviable life with extraordinary joy, undiminished gratitude, and a contagious positive spirit until the very end.

Kirby was born in 1956 to Brooks and Peggy Walker of San Francisco and was the oldest of three children. She graduated from University of Colorado and received her master's in Communications from Stanford. Upon graduating, Kirby co-founded Omega Productions, a video production company. She married her college sweetheart, Paul Danielsen, in 1982 and they were married for 37 years.

Kirby always seemed to be able to focus on what is truly important in life and set a wonderful example for all those who knew her. Her family always came first. Her husband Paul and sons Myles and Clay were the center of her universe and the source of tremendous pride and pleasure. Whether it was an adventure to Japan, a fishing trip to the Rising River, or simply a family dinner prepared at home, many of Kirby's favorite times were spent with them.

Out in the world, Kirby shone brightly. Everyone wanted to be her friend. It wasn't just her glorious mane of red hair that drew the attention. Kirby simply loved people, and it was obvious to anyone who met her. Her deep curiosity about others' lives and the world in general compelled people to want to be in her presence, and, because she was such a trustworthy listener, to divulge their deepest secrets and truest feelings. Kirby had close friends of all ages. She was widely known for her spontaneous laughter, kindness, and joie de vivre that she shared with everyone from best friends to hospital nurses.

Kirby was happiest in nature and loved hiking, fishing, cross-country skiing, and camping, taking great delight in the mountains—especially at Tahoe where she had spent summers and winters as a child and later enjoyed with her own children. Kirby's curiosity drove her to read at least two newspapers every single day and to delve further to find meaning in current events. She loved art, long conversations with friends, the poetry of Mary Oliver, the company of dogs, and collecting heart-shaped rocks. Kirby expressed her gratitude for life often and exuberantly, a practice which extended through her last days.

Kirby's most recent documentary film, Toxic Hot Seat, was distributed by HBO. Most significantly, however, the film was instrumental in a change of California law to protect consumers from carcinogens used by furniture makers in flame-retardant fabrics. In appreciation, San Francisco Firefighters honored her with "The White Helmet" award, the highest level of professional achievement a firefighter can obtain in a career, and the civilian award to those who have made a profound difference to the health and welfare of firefighters in their battle against cancer.

Given her passionate love of the outdoors and nature, it is no surprise that Kirby served on the board of the Natural Resources Defense Council where she is now an Honorary Board Member in addition serving on the boards of Marin Country Day School, Summer Search and the Redford Center.

Besides her husband Paul and sons Myles and Clay, Kirby's sister Leslie Walker, brother Brooks Walker, III, and father and step-mother, Brooks Walker Jr. and Danielle Walker will miss her terribly. As will the many, many others who loved her so dearly.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made in her name to NRDC or the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy where Kirby hiked, ran and walked daily for most of her life.