Patricia Ann (Porter) Kirby (93) of Effingham

Patricia Ann (Porter) Kirby, 93, of Effingham, Illinois, passed away on Friday, February 28, 2020 at HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital in Effingham, Illinois.

Funeral services will be held at 12 noon Saturday, March 7 at Johnson Funeral Home in Effingham. Burial will be in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Effingham. Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon Saturday prior to the service at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to Effingham County FISH Organization or Centenary United Methodist Church, Effingham. Online condolences may be shared by clicking here. 

Patricia was born on May 26, 1926, in Effingham, Illinois to Kenneth W. and Eva H. (Slater) Porter. She lived her entire life in Effingham. Patricia graduated from Effingham High School in 1944. She played the oboe in the high school concert band and the saxophone in the high school marching band and the piano at home. She attended Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois and The School of Tailoring and Dress Design in St. Louis, Missouri. She taught private adult sewing lessons until her marriage. On April 29, 1951, in Effingham Illinois, she married her high school sweetheart, John Warren Kirby. They had three daughters.

In their early 20’s, Patty and her husband John taught and earned several medals for proficiency in roller skate dancing. Since 1997, they spent half of the year at their home in Key Colony Beach, Florida. They enjoyed many good friendships both in Illinois and Florida. 

Patty and John loved to travel and over the years visited many countries and all the continents but Antarctica. They circumnavigated the world on the Concord.

Patricia was a faithful and lifelong member of Centenary United Methodist in Effingham. Over the years, she taught Sunday School and Bible school. She had been a member of Sarah, Naomi, and Esther Circles. She was in charge of communion for several years. She was both a Girl Scout Troop and 4-H Club leader. She also attended the Community United Methodist Church in Marathon, Florida.

Patricia was a 75 year member and past president of Chapter FA of P.E.O. She was also a charter member and past president of the Florida Keys P.E.O. Group. She was a six year member of the local Marsupial Ostomy group. She enjoyed fashion and design, working part time as a mature model at Ryan’s Daughters’ Tea Room. She also enjoyed playing Mah Jongg and especially the friends she made both in Illinois and Florida because of the game.

Patricia was a faithful, loving, and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was cherished by her family and precious to each in their own way.

She will be missed by the love of her life, John Kirby of Effingham; her beloved daughters, Karen Ann (husband, Charlie) Luchtefeld of Effingham, Dr. Kristie Lynn Kirby (husband, Dr. Rich Kessler) of Brentwood, TN, and Kathy Lael McElroy of Effingham; grandchildren, Dr. Jason Luchtefeld (wife, Dr. Lisette Caissie), Mandy Luchtefeld (husband, Anthony) Willenborg, Kendrick (wife, Anna) McElroy, and John Kessler; and great-grandchildren, Sydney and Olivia Willenborg, and Emelia and Elijah McElroy.                                  

She was preceded in death by her parents, Eva H. (Slater) and Kenneth W. Porter and an infant granddaughter.  

Patty: “I have spent my life loving John and our family.”