Circa 1920
The Kirby Family has been providing funeral service for over 100 years. Richard C. Kirby Sr. opened up an undertaking “store front” office, in East Boston, MA, in 1906. He ran the funeral business from the store front for many years, with his sons, since wakes were held from the home in those days. With the early passing of Richard C. Kirby Sr. in 1928, the business was passed on to his eldest son Richard C. Kirby Jr. Richard Jr. built and opened a funeral home in East Boston, MA, which is still in operation today, but in name only. Richard’s brothers, Maurice, Robert, and John, decided to move to Winthrop, MA, and bought an estate and turned it into a funeral home under the name of Kirby Brothers. As time went on, Maurice bought out his brothers Robert and John, and changed the name of the funeral home to the Maurice W. Kirby Funeral Home, which it still is today. Thru the early years, Maurice worked hard at promoting the business, while at the same time working as a trade embalmer for many funeral homes in the metropolitan Boston area. As Maurice’s sons, Maurice Jr. and Warren grew older; they began helping their father working at the funeral home part time. Maurice Jr. eventually moved on to his own career, and Warren stayed on, working alongside his father full time. Maurice Sr. stayed active in the funeral home throughout his life, until his death in April of 1994, at the age of 89. Warren married Beverly in 1964, and in 1968, she became employed at the funeral home. In 1970, the business became incorporated. With Warren running the business, his son Warren Jr., began working in the funeral home part time at an early age. Warren Jr. began working full time in 1988, and for 6 years, the funeral home had 3 generations working there at the same time. Warren Sr., Warren Jr. and Beverly continued to run the business after Maurice’s death, until Warren Sr. sudden passing in August of 2005 at the age of 64. With Warren Sr. death, the business was transferred to Warren Jr. and his mother Beverly. With Beverly’s passing in October of 2014, the business was transferred to her son, Warren Jr. who continues to operate the firm today as its owner and President.