Obituary of Kirby Thwing

THWING - Kirby Thwing Sr., 89, of 6 Pond Road, Hawley, Mass.; died Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007, as the result of a single-car accident. Born Jan. 31, 1918, in Manchester, Mass., he graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine in 1940, married Charlotte Cox, and had three children. He was in Army Intelligence in WWII and returned home to raise his family. His greatest love in life was serving others and he did that through his interests in religion and education. He was a lifelong learner. He taught school in Savoy, Mass., at the Baker Street School in Shelburne Falls, Mass., at Federal Street Elementary School in Greenfield, Mass., at John J. Lynch Junior High School and Holyoke High School in Holyoke, Mass., and finished his career in education as a guidance counselor at Longmeadow High School in Longmeadow, Mass. For his planned 90th birthday, his only wish was to hear from former students who remembered him. He was an active volunteer with the churches of his various communities: Second Congregational Churches in Greenfield and in Holyoke, and Federated Church in Charlemont. He was also a lay preacher in his later years for various churches in Franklin County. While in Holyoke, he was involved with Holyoke Community Concerts, the Interfaith Council of Holyoke and served as a scoutmaster and waterfront director with the Boy Scouts of America. Once retired to Hawley, he gave of himself as a Hospice volunteer, held several positions with the Sons and Daughters of Hawley and as a Justice of the Peace, married a good many couples in a variety of settings. He joyously related to young children in the Foster Grandparent program at Hawlemont School in Charlemont. He firmly believed that a man gave back to his community with his time, his talent and his treasure, and he led by example. Kirby was predeceased by his brother, Roger Thwing; his sister, Marguerite Worthen, and his wife Charlotte Thwing. He leaves behind his sons, Rev. William C. Thwing (wife Joy) of Ebensburg;(Pastor of the Ebensburg United Church of Christ - Congregational) and Kirby Thwing Jr. (wife Beth) of Hawley; and his daughter, Lisa Thwing, of Hawley and Northampton; six grandchildren, Michael Thwing (wife Ninna), Jennie Thwing, Theodore Thwing, Victoria Thwing, Meggin Thwing Eastman (husband Donovan) and Tara Thwing; and one great-grandson, Nathaniel Eastman. He will be greatly missed by his extended family and the community at large. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 24, at the Federated Church, Main Street, Charlemont, Mass. There will also be a memorial at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 21, at the Jehovah Witness Kingdom Hall, Route 2, Shelburne, Mass. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts to the Sons and Daughters of Hawley, P.O. Box 206, Hawley, Mass. 01339, the Federated Church or the Kingdom Hall are welcome. Arrangements are being handled by the Smith-Kelleher Funeral Home of Shelburne Falls.