Obit – Mr. Dan Kirby
Mr. Dan Kirby of Nashville passed away peacefully at Cloverland Park Senior Living in Brentwood in the early hours of Saturday morning, June 6, 2026. He lived a beautiful life marked by quiet faithfulness, generous love, and constant service to others. Mr. Kirby was 78.
A Celebration of Life was conducted from his beloved Nolen Hills Church of Christ: 7481 Nolensville Rd, Nashville, TN 37145 on Friday, June 12, 2026. Graveside services and interment were Saturday morning June 13th in section two at the Ridgewood Cemetery in Carthage near his father’s Kirby families and his mother’s Smith families.
Dan was born in Carthage, Tennessee, on February 1, 1948 and was the son of the late World War II Staff Sergent, Prentice D. (P. D.) Kirby who died March 7, 2010 at the age of 91 and Grace Richardson Smith Kirby who died November 1, 1982 at the age of 63.
He later moved with his family to Greensboro, North Carolina, at an early age. He earned a bachelor’s degree from David Lipscomb College in Nashville in 1970.
After graduating, he married the love of his life, the former Denver, Colorado resident Glenda Page Travis on June 13, 1970. They embarked on a shared journey of service wherever they lived.
They raised their family in North Carolina in the towns of Greensboro, New Bern, and Raleigh before making their long-term home in Murphy. There, Dan and Glenda built a life rooted in faith, family and community, opening their doors to countless friends of their sons, mission groups, and visitors. To this day, people who knew their family speak fondly of the time spent in that welcoming home.
Dan devoted his career to serving others as an employee of the North Carolina Employment Security Commission. His work was more than a job, it was a calling. As a manager of the office, he led his team as they helped people walk through the stress of unemployment by finding jobs and receiving their unemployment checks. In addition, they helped companies find, train, and retain their workforce. While working with ESC, Dan earned his Public Manager Certification from NC State University.
After retirement from the state of NC in 2001, Dan and Glenda moved to Anniston, Alabama, to serve as fundraisers and public relations managers for Rainbow Omega, where Glenda’s brother, Rob, was a resident.
In 2014, Dan and Glenda moved to Nashville, where they spent the last eleven years close to family.
Dan served in multiple other ways through the years. He and Glenda were house parents at Central Texas Children’s Home; he was a long-time member and president of the Murphy Rotary Club; he was a board member and chairman for Agape of North Carolina.
A man of deep faith, Dan was a very active member in the different churches where they lived. He and Glenda were instrumental in starting the Murphy Church of Christ in their living room, a testament to building community and sharing their faith. He served as an elder in the Greenbrier Church of Christ in Anniston, and the Murphy Church of Christ.
Dan’s passions ran deep. He loved model trains – his biggest hobby – and was endlessly creative in designing intricate layouts. He was an avid storyteller, especially about trains, Mopar, NASCAR, and woodworking. Dan even found himself on stage in a couple of community plays in Murphy, bringing joy and creativity to those around him. Whether he was crafting something with his hands or sharing a story, his enthusiasm was unmistakable. Dan also had strong opinions: Coke was always better than Pepsi, he was famously not a fan of any chicken outside of Bojangles, and he’d choose the mountains over the beach any day.
Above all, Dan cherished his family. He would have celebrated 56 years of marriage with Glenda whom he married on June 13th.
He was a devoted father to Kenneth Kirby of Columbia, Maryland; Chris Kirby and wife Jill of Nolensville, Tennessee; and Greg Kirby and wife Kim of Nashville, Tennessee. He was a proud and loving grandfather to Grace, Danny, Luke, Jack, Anna, Tatum, Hudson and his favorite grand dog, Bella. He is also survived by his brother, Floyd Kirby of Wilmington, North Carolina, and his niece, nephew, and their families. In addition to his parents, Dan was preceded in death by his parents-in-law, Bob and Dottie Travis; his sister-in-law, Linda Kirby; his brother-in-law, Rob Travis.
Dan lived a life full of quiet faithfulness and generous love. His family is grateful for the peace he now knows and the legacy of service he leaves behind.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to either:
Agape of Tennessee: https://agapenashville.org/online-giving
4555 Trousdale Dr., Nashville, TN 37204 or
Alzheimer’s of Tennessee: alztennessee.org/gift
106 Mission Ct. Suite 203, Franklin, TN 37067
SANDERSON of CARTHAGE
