Carol E. Kirby, 70, retired corporate lawyer
February 1, 2024
Carol Eller Kirby, a former Pawleys Island resident, died Jan. 19 at her home in Chamberlain, Maine. She was 70.
She was born Aug. 13, 1953, in Winston-Salem, N.C., the daughter of Gaither E. and Katherine Eller. She graduated from R.J. Reynolds High School in 1971, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1975 and UNC-Chapel Hill Law School in 1980. She completed her executive MBA degree at Harvard Business School in 1999.
After law school, Carol moved to Atlanta, where she practiced labor law and litigation at Ford & Harrison and Powell Goldstein Frazer & Murphy before joining the legal and corporate departments at AT&T, Lucent Technologies and Alcatel-Lucent.
In Atlanta, she met and married Jefferson D. Kirby III, who was also a lawyer. They retired to Pawleys Island and later moved to Chamberlain, where they loved their view of the rocky coast and lobster boats and the friendship of the community. Mr. Kirby died in 2018.
Mrs. Kirby was a talented gardener and cook, a master fire builder and enjoyed the great outdoors in Maine. She was remembered for her generosity, loyalty, compassion, sense of humor, love of adventure and wise counsel.
She is survived by her stepsons Adam Kirby (Lindsey) of Pawleys Island and Davis Kirby (Lee Bryan) of Atlanta; and her grandsons, Abel and Eli Kirby of Pawleys Island.
No service is currently planned, but memorial gatherings will be held at a later date.
Memorials may be made to K9s on the Front Line, P.O. Box 8823, Portland ME 04104, Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust, 3 Round Top Lane, Damariscotta ME 04543 or the charity of your choice.
Condolences may be sent at stronghancock.com.
