Barbara Ann Freeze Kirby, 90, passed away peacefully into Glory on May 27, 2024 surrounded by loved ones.

She grew up in Birmingham and went to West End High School and was an active member of West End United Methodist Church. After graduating high school, she attended and was graduated from Alabama Polytechnic Institute, which a year later became Auburn University. She married in December, 1956 and thus began a 67 year union with her husband, Ed Kirby. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. In 1961, after he graduated dental school and she earned her PhT (Putting Hubby Through), they moved with their two small children to Decatur where he began his dental practice and soon after welcomed their third child. They began attending First Methodist Church where began a multitude of friendships that lasted the rest of their lives. Barbara always said there was family by birth and family by choice. The church family was certainly her family by choice and she loved serving at First Methodist. Barbara and Ed helped start the Seekers Sunday school class and were an active part of this class up until their deaths.

She was an active member in the Junior Service League when they produced the Cotton Country Cookbook, which contains several of her recipes. Many cooks claim the Americanized Lasagna and Coco-Cola cake as their favorite Barbara Kirby recipes. In 1983, she and Ed attended the Walk to Emmaus at Camp Sumatanga. He was on Walk 3 and she on Walk 4. Being on such early Walks allowed them to help build the North Alabama Emmaus community, not only at Camp Sumatanga, but also here in Decatur and surrounding communities. Barbara loved Emmaus with all her heart and threw herself into serving in any and every capacity she could for the next 30 plus years. It was something that really touched her heart and she loved seeing people truly understand God's unconditional love and His amazing grace.

Barbara loved her three children, but she REALLY loved her six grandchildren! The motto at Grandy and Big Daddy's house was, "The TV is always on and the buffet is always open".There were many family trips to Gulf Shores filled with playing games, good food and shopping in Foley. She really enjoyed her family time, especially spending that time with the grands as they grew up. She would spoil them in Decatur with trips to their favorite KMay donuts and would teach them about good bargains at TJ Maxx and the like. It was so important to her recently that they learn to read and write in cursive since many schools don't teach it now. Her solution? Giving them a monetary motivation to send her a letter written in cursive!

Barbara had such a big heart and loved so many! She knew how blessed she was. Thank you to her "tribe" of friends (Family by Choice) who have helped carry us through this difficult season. We praise God for a life well-lived and that she is now walking with Christ. She was preceded in death by Otis Edgar Kirby, Jr., and is survived by her children Ed (Melissa) Kirby, III, Sorrento,FL, Ann Marie (Lyle) Chaney, Marietta, GA and Jenny Lee (Bob) Allgood, Suwanee, GA, grandchildren Bobbie (Matt) Clark, Tyler (Eleanor) Chaney, Max Chaney, Anna Allgood, John Allgood, Bo Allgood, great grandchildren, Olivia and Ben Clark and Collins Chaney. In lieu of flowers, the family will be honored if donations are made to Decatur First United Methodist Church or Hospice of the Valley.

Visitation will be held Thursday, May 30, at 10 a.m. at First United Methodist Church of Decatur, followed by a Celebration of Life at 11 a.m.

Berryhill Funeral Home assisted the family.