Surnames: Kirby, Wells, Hollenbeck, Diehl, Cupp Vern W. Kirby, 75, a resident of The Dalles and formerly a resident of Fossil, died on Friday, May 3, 2002, at Apache Junction, Arizona. He was born October 7, 1926, in Eugene (Oregon) to Abner and Blanche Wells Kirby. He grew up in Eugene and attended school there through his sophomore year. He lived in Portland during the early years of World War II, graduating from Benson Polytechnic High School. He was employed at Willamette Iron and Steel as a draftsman until the end of the war; then joined his parents in the upper Hood River valley (Oregon), later moving into Hood River. He married Elizabeth J. "Betty" Hollenbeck at Hood River on November 19, 1949. In 1951 he went to work for the First National Bank at their Hood River branch. He transferred to the Fossil branch in 1956 and later became manager of the Fossil and Condon branches of First National Bank, retiring from banking in 1988. He moved to The Dalles in 1996. After retirement, he and his wife spent part of each year at LaHacienda RV Park in Apache Junction. He enjoyed woodcarving, coin and stamp collecting, was an avid bowler and a crossword puzzle enthusiast. Survivors include his wife, Betty Kirby, The Dalles; sons, Donald Kirby, Athena (Oregon); Ronald and Larry Kirby, both of Portland; and Fredrick Kirby, Nashville, Tennessee; daughters, Jean Diehl, River Bank, California; and Nancy Cupp, Klamath Falls (Oregon); brother, Clyde Kirby, Hood River; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Recitation of the Rosary will be at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 10, at St. Peter Catholic Church in The Dalles. Funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the church. A gathering and dinner will follow the service at St. Peter Parish Hall. Graveside services will be at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in Hood River. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Peter Catholic Church Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 41, The Dalles, Oregon 97058, or to St. Catherine's Catholic Church Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 485, Condon, Oregon 97823. Sweeney Mortuary of Condon is in charge of arrangements. The Dalles Chronicle May 9, 2002 Written permission to reprint obituary given by The Dalles Chronicle, The Dalles, Oregon. Copied and submitted by Earline Wasser.