Walter Paul Kirby

Long-time local businessman and Boundary County Commissioner Walter Paul Kirby, 94, passed away early Saturday, March 29, 2025 at home with his family. Services may be held later this summer.

He was born October 16, 1930, La Jolla, California, where he grew up. He married high school sweetheart Jane Polm January 6, 1951, in Solana Beach, California. Their daughter, Marcia, was born February 29, 1952, Sandia, born September 5, 1953, Carnan, November 28, 1954, and John, June 29, 1962.

The family moved to Bonners Ferry in 1969 after vacationing here to visit John Wanner, a friend since kindergarten who had earlier moved to Bonners Ferry. Once here, Walt opened Kirby Mechanical, a mobile welding, fabrication and heavy equipment repair business, building the shop on Roosevelt Road where the Sheridan School once stood and which now houses Krejci Welding.

After selling to Mike Krejci in 1996, the nest now empty, he and Jane built a home over a smaller shop on Jaguar Lane and moved from Bonners Ferry. He maintained Kirby Mechanical until being elected County Commissioner in 2003, a position he held until 2021, when he finally retired at the age of 91,

He served on the Board of Directors of Panhandle Health, the Boundary Community Hospital Board, the Community Restorium Board, the North Bench Fire Board, the Moyie Shrine, helping raise funds for the Spokane Shriners Hospital and more, and he always enjoying giving of himself in service to others.

Even in his work clothes, Walt was always the dapper gentleman; bright red suspenders, his handlebar moustache always waxed to perfection with the same pomade he’d used for 70 years, a scent cherished by his children and grandchildren.

Stories about Walt abound; flying his Piper Cub under the Parker River Canyon Bridge on the California/Arizona border before the dam went in, as a young 17-year-old sailor riding his motorcycle home late at night from Point Mugu Naval Air Station so tired he’d fall asleep at stop lights, shaving his moustache just once at his mother’s request for his sister’s wedding … but adamantly saying “no” until just before the ceremony, hanging and lighting 10,000 or more firecrackers hoisted on a crane in front of the courthouse to announce his candidacy for commissioner.

Two days before he passed away, former sheriff George Voyles took him to Super 1 for ice cream, and for the first time, he needed to use a motorized cart. He had as much fun zipping up and down the aisles in it as he did zipping around town in any of the British cars he collected, cars he’d once raced professionally.

All the stories, Marcia said, are true.

Walt is survived by daughters Marcia Kirby, Bonners Ferry, and Carnan and husband Bruce Davis, Libby, sister Janie and husband Rob Carr, Aurora Grande, California, seven grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife and road dawg of 73 years, Jane, who passed away one year and three days before him on March 26, 2024. Also preceding him were his son John and daughter Sandia.