Kirby, the fourth of eight children, was born to C. H. “Dutch” and Bernice Pauline (Beaver) Clawson in the family home on the prairie, three miles east of Hitchland, Texas, on March 21, 1934. Kirby grew up riding a horse to attend a one-room schoolhouse in Hitchland as a child during the days of the Dust Bowl and Depression. In 1948, the family moved to a farm five miles west of Gruver, where Kirby attended and graduated from high school in 1952. Kirby didn’t stray far from home when he attended Panhandle A&M College at Goodwell, OK, where he was active in ROTC, the photography club, the museum club and the yearly cattle auction that continues to this day. Kirby took a mandatory art appreciation course there, which seeded his love for art that continued throughout his life. Kirby was also on the livestock judging team and graduated with a B.S. in animal husbandry in 1956.

After graduation, Kirby farmed, ranched and continued to help his father at the Stateline Grain Company in Hitchland. On March 19, 1960, Kirby married a lovely Kansas girl, Mary Collingwood, who had been teaching school in Liberal, Kansas. After marriage, they made their home in Hitchland, Texas. On April 1, 1962, Kirby and Mary moved to the farm northwest of Satanta, Kansas, where they spent nearly 50 years raising crops, cattle and their six children.

Kirby loved the challenge of farming, looking after the land, and improving and making the land more productive. Kirby helped many young men get started in the farming business by renting them ground and offering them advice over the years. Kirby was also blessed to be able to hire some good friends to help in many different capacities. He and his family are very grateful for all these relationships and the positive things that resulted from the expertise and hard work of many people.

Kirby served as a member and officer of the Southwest Kansas Irrigation Association, was a director of the REA Board, a member of the Satanta Chamber of Commerce, the Satanta School Board, and was one of the original Ground Water Management #3 board members. Kirby served on the board of the Collingwood Grain Company for 20 years and as chairman of the Board of The Plains State Bank (now Bank of the Plains) from 1977 until the early 2000s. Kirby was a partner in the High Plains Ponderosa Dairy for the past two decades. God blessed Kirby with a mind for business and an incredible memory for recalling details.

Kirby shared his business knowledge, passion for good cattle and farming expertise with his children. He began turning over the reins of the businesses to them 30 years ago as he stepped into a guiding and nurturing role — encouraging them to start new ventures and learn from their successes as well as their failures.

In 2010, Kirby and Mary moved to Plains, Kansas, where Kirby spent most of his days sharing his wisdom and his humor with his children, grandchildren and anyone who visited. People often came to the Clawson Office to seek him out for his advice.

Kirby was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Ruth, son Andrew Jerome Clawson, granddaughter Heidi Grace Clawson, great-grandson Wesley, Kade Klahr, his parents, three brothers — Max, Rodney, and Chuck — and one sister, Wanda Stevens.

He is survived by his children: Marilyn (Greg) Giles, Dan (Tamra) Clawson, David (Jeanne) Clawson, Kenby (Lana) Clawson, and Mary Beth (Brent) Woods; nineteen grandchildren: Abby Giles, Betsy Giles, Matthew (Tami) Giles, and Josiah Giles; Cooper (Leah) Clawson, Jacqueline (Dean) Klahr, Walker (Laura) Clawson, Gatlin Clawson, and Korben Clawson; Layne (Rachel) Clawson, Ann Clawson, and Carl Clawson; Kyla (Brady) Larson, Kendal (Caroline) Clawson, Kurtis (Paige) Clawson, and Kathryn (Corey) Spraggins, Adeline Woods, Emmett Woods, and Audy Woods; and 14 great-grandchildren with three more on the way in the next few months. Kirby is also survived by his sisters — Ella Mae Clawson, Margaret Bell, Karen (Bill) Seyb and sister-in-law Jo Alice Clawson — and a host of other relatives and friends.