Carol Eller Kirby, of Chamberlain, died peacefully at her home on the coast of Maine, on Jan. 19, 2024. Carol was born on Aug. 13, 1953 in Winston-Salem, N.C., the daughter of the late Gaither E. and Katherine Eller.
Carol 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, Ga. and 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, Carol met and married the love of her life, Jefferson D. Kirby III. They retired to Pawleys Island, S.C. and later moved to Chamberlain, where they thoroughly loved their view of the rocky coast and “lobstah” boats and the friendship of those they met in the community. Carol was a talented gardener and cook, a master fire builder, and enjoyed the great outdoors in Maine throughout the seasons.
In addition to her parents, Carol was predeceased by her husband, Jeff; her paternal grandparents, Verdie and Edgar M. Eller; and her beloved Scottish terriers, Wally, Molly, Maude, and Henry.
Carol is survived by her stepsons, Adam Kirby (Lindsey Kirby), of Pawleys Island, S.C., and Davis Kirby (Lee Bryan) of Atlanta, Ga.; and her grandsons, Abel and Eli Kirby, of Pawleys Island.
Carol deeply appreciated her caregivers, Michele Leeman, Brian Leeman, Gail Augusto, Jaime Gamage, Melinda Kane, Emma McFarland, and Karen Sawyer, as well as her doctors, Minda Gold, Lisa Hand, and Brian Haney, all of whom contributed greatly to her comfort and quality of life in recent years.
Carol’s generosity, loyalty, compassion, sense of humor, love of adventure, and wise counsel will never be forgotten by her many friends and family members. She inspired many by her resilience and capacity for love. When faced with adversity or opposition, she always took the high road, thinking of others before herself and acting with unfailing integrity.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Carol’s memory to K-9’s on the Front Line, P.O. Box 8823, Portland, ME 04104, Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust, 3 Round Top Lane, Damariscotta, ME 04543, or a charity of your choice. No service is currently planned, but memorial gatherings will be held at a later date.
Arrangements are under the direction and care of the Strong-Hancock Funeral Home, 612 Main St., Damariscotta, ME 04543. Condolences and messages for her family may be expressed by visiting her memorial page at stronghancock.com.
