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\u201cThe Navy has made me an extremely organized person,\u201d he said. \u201cYou learn things like being on time. I always tell my grandchildren that the most important thing you can do when you wake up is to make your bed. It begins a day of organization.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That same structure, self-discipline, and purpose carried him smoothly into civilian life, though not without a few bumps along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leaving the military wasn\u2019t easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard to go from that steady, disciplined environment to regular life,\u201d Kirby admitted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But he knew it was a stepping stone to something else \u2014 and for a natural people person like him, the car business was a perfect fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Nashville, Kirby quickly became the director of sales at a major dealership. There, he connected with big names in the music industry, selling vehicles to Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson, and Michael McDonald.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMichael called and said he was going on tour with Cher in Europe. He asked if I\u2019d pick out a Tahoe and deliver it to his wife, Amy. I said, \u2018sure,\u2019 and I did,\u201d Kirby recalled. \u201cI knew what my customers wanted. I knew how to take care of them. That\u2019s what made me successful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Though the connections were exciting, Kirby longed for a slower, more grounded pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was ready to get into a rural community like where I grew up in Missouri,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He called his General Motors representative, and the response was immediate \u2014 Walker & Garner Chevrolet in Winchester needed a general manager. Kirby accepted the position and relocated in 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Three years later, he met Colleen, a registered nurse of nearly five decades at the local hospital. They immediately fell in love and married the same year. The two traveled the country together \u2014 South Dakota, Naples, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Maine, England, and Italy \u2014 making memories and soaking up life\u2019s beauty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kirby managed what is now Russell Barnett Chevrolet until 2021 and briefly stayed on as an adviser in 2022. Then, in April 2024, he stepped into a new role: executive director of United Way of Franklin County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got 26 agencies we provide funding for,\u201d he said. \u201cEverything we collect, we try to pour right back into the community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n His days are full but never too busy for what matters most \u2014 his family. Kirby is a proud grandfather who attends his grandchildren\u2019s extracurricular events as often as possible. He\u2019s also an active member of Winchester First Baptist Church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even with physical challenges from his athletic past \u2014 including torn tendons, multiple surgeries, and a knee replacement \u2014 Kirby keeps going. He once played various sports, even competing in softball tournaments nationwide with the armed forces. While tennis and pickleball are no longer options, the memories were well worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was worth every minute. I wouldn\u2019t trade any of it,\u201d he said. \u201cThose were great times.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, Kirby focuses on giving back, staying grounded, and cherishing the present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTry to enjoy life,\u201d he said. \u201cI try to live every day like it could be my last. And all you can do is learn from the mistakes you make.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kirby\u2019s story started on a Navy ship and led him through years of service, leadership, and change. No matter where he\u2019s been, whether in the military, the car business, or nonprofit work, he\u2019s kept one thing steady \u2014 he shows up for people. Now, at 72, he\u2019s still giving back, learning, and leading with heart. GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" WHEN STEVE Kirby joined the Navy in 1975, he never imagined how many miles \u2014 and milestones \u2014 it would carry him through. Over the course of 17 years in uniform, he served across the country, from Florida to Mississippi to California, eventually earning the distinguished title of Sailor of the Year aboard the USS […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":24105,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24103","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/franklin-county\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/07\/2-3-1024x683.jpg\")