Wayen Allen Kirkby

Wayne A. Kirkby
Wayne A. Kirkby went to be with our Lord and Savior on October 7, 2017.  He was born on October 31, 1942 to Lloyd and Janet Kirkby of Grandville, Michigan, where Mr. Kirkby sold new cars for Borgman Ford, and Mrs. Kirkby worked part time as a substitute teacher.   Wayne was a very bright student, with a keen interest in science, participating in balloon launchings of Moustronauts, rocket building and sometimes innocently mischievous scientific pranks.  He enjoyed fishing, hunting and an occasional poker game with good friends.  He enjoyed sports and lettered on the Grandville Tennis team.  He learned to love the Lord at the First Reformed Church of Grandville, where he was active in youth programs.  He was thoughtful and blessed with a lively sense of humor.  He graduated second in his 1961 Grandville High School graduating class.  
Wayne studied engineering at Michigan State University, where he was a popular student and a member of Triangle Engineering Fraternity.  He studied law at the University of Michigan Law School. Upon graduation in 1969, Wayne joined the legal staff of Consumer Power Company.  He became a leading expert in power generation, distribution, and utilities regulation law.  He managed ground breaking nuclear power plant litigation on behalf of Consumers Power.  
He met and married his second wife, Sue Ann Stevens, a nurse in Ann Arbor Michigan.  Wayne and Sue Ann lived in Chelsea, Michigan, a convenient commute for both.  Upon retirement, Wayne and Sue Ann moved to Corrales, New Mexico, where Wayne became an avid horse owner and rider.  His love for daring mountain rides is recounted in the August 31, 2006 Horse and Rider article by Anija Leiendecker.  

Wayne was also involved in many organizations in Albuquerque and Corrales, New Mexico. He served as the Vice President and President of the New Mexico Ski Club, a board member for the Music in Corrales organization, a volunteer for the Corrales Library, participated in the Bosque Mounted Patrol, an avid member of the American Wine Society – Rio Vino Chapter, and competitor in the Corrales Village in the Village bocce ball team.

Wayne is preceded in death by his parents and his beloved wife Sue Ann.  He is survived by his cherished friend of several years, Katryn Fraher, cousins Gordon and Mary Bosker, his beloved horses, cat, and his devoted corgi friend, Sunny.  His memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 18 at 10am. It will be held at the Church of the Good Shepard at 7834 Tennyson St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87122. All are welcome to come and share in Wayne’s memory.

Donations can be made in Wayne’s name to one of his favorite organizations:

New Mexico Land Conservancy at their website: https://nmlandconservancy.z2systems.com/np/clients/nmlandconservancy/donation.jsp,

Watermelon Mountain Ranch at their website: https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/1432417?uniqueID=634816065427359623

Church of the Good Shepard at their website: https://squareup.com/store/ucccogs