On January 15, 2015 at 8:45 pm, Margaret Kirby peacefully passed away. Ray and her daughter Ruth had spent the evening with her at a care facility that she had been staying at for the last few days.
The daughter of Oscar “Seymour” Larabee, Jr., and Metta “Beryl” Crane. She was born on 5 Jan 1927, Los Angeles, CA; christened as an infant at the Methodist Church, Los Angeles, CA. She had a younger brother, Richard Seymour Larabee, who died as a teenager.
She married Ray Kirby on 19 June 1954, Methodist Church, Pacific Palisades, CA. She and Ray had been married 60 ½ years at the time of her passing.
They have 2 children: Ruth Eileen (Kirby) Dean and Ray Edward Kirby and 2 grandchildren: John Kirby Dean and Jennifer Rose Dean. And, she has two step children: Lyle “Wayne” Kirby-Boyd & Dale Wesley Kirby-Boyd & their families, numerous grandchildren, gr-grandchildren, and a gr-gr-grandchild.
Memorial Services:
February 7th, 2015 – 2PM
Please join the family at the Pacific Palisades Methodist Church on Saturday, Feb 7th at 2:00 p.m.
801 Via De La Paz
Pacific Palasades, CA 90272
One of Margaret’s favorite charities is St. Judes, if you would like to, donations can be made in Margaret Kirby’s name (click here).
Attended Pacific Palisades Elementary School, Pacific Palisades, CA
Attended Emerson Jr. High School, West Los Angeles, CA
Attended and graduated from Washington Lee High School in Arlington, VA.
1945-1948: attended Pomona College, Claremont, CA; graduated in 1948 with a BA Degree.
1948-1949: attended UC Berkeley, CA, majoring in zoology, acquiring a minor in genetics. Had a 35 day tour of Mexico with others from Berkeley and Stanford.
1949-1950: attended University of Colorado Medical School and received an M. S. in Medical Bacteriology.
1951-1956: Laboratory Technician, University of California, Riverside, CA.
1956: Worked three months at UCLA, as a lab technician in the Department of Neurology doing tissue culture.
1956: Worked three months at Douglas Aircraft, El Segundo, CA, as a lab technician in research chemistry.
1957: Worked as a tutor for an elementary school in Pacific Palisades, CA.
1974-Jun 1979: Worked in the Finance Office, Palisades High School, Pacific Palisades, CA.
1985-1993: Owned an RV storage lot in Fontana, CA; her son, Ray Edward, managed it.
Margaret was involved in various areas of volunteer work through the Methodist Church, as well as, in the Pacific Palisades community. In 1959 she joined the United Methodist Women’s group and the Pacific Palisades Women’s Club. She held various offices through the years. Also, she was on the Community Council and Civic League. Some of her volunteer work included visiting rest homes and recording textbooks for the blind. While her husband, Ray, was commander for the American Legion, she was involved in the Auxiliary.
Margaret’s father, Oscar Seymour Larabee, Jr., (an electrical engineer educated at Cal Tech, Pasadena, CA) was in the Army Air Force during WW II; he was stationed at Ft. Belvoir, VA for 4 years. He created the type of “camoflague” used in WW II. He also served as a Lieutenant Colonel on General Douglas MacArthur’s staff. Oscar was employed as an engineer for the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company for 34 years.
