--- title: HR 1899. Kirby, Dr. F. Hugh; honoring the life and memory; condolences collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr1899 cite_as: HR 1899, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1899 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1899.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1899/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74447 date: 2026-03-25 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1898.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1900.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 134 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1899.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 1899 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-25 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Alan Powell text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1899/2025 upstream_id: 2138430 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - memorial resolution - Georgia House of Representatives - Hartwell Georgia - clergy tribute --- # HR 1899. Kirby, Dr. F. Hugh; honoring the life and memory; condolences ## Text House Resolution 1899 By: Representative Powell of the 33rd A RESOLUTION Honoring the life and memory of Dr. F. Hugh Kirby; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, we paused with grateful hearts to remember and honor the life and legacy of Dr. F. Hugh Kirby, who was born on February 13, 1939, in Drayton, South Carolina, and departed this earthly life on July 12, 2025, in Hartwell, Georgia; and WHEREAS, Dr. Kirby faithfully served as a minister of the gospel for more than 66 years, devoting his life to proclaiming God's truth, shepherding His people, and modeling the love of Christ through humility, grace, and unwavering faith; and WHEREAS, a devoted lifelong learner, who pursued knowledge with passion and purpose, earning degrees from Furman university in Greenville, South Carolina; the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky; and Columbia Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia, he continually deepened his faith and understanding of God's word; and WHEREAS, through his ministry, Dr. Kirby faithfully served many congregations, including First Baptist Church in Greenville, South Carolina; Victory Memorial Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky; Grace Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia; First Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina; Dunwoody Baptist Church in Dunwoody, Georgia; and Hartwell First Methodist Church in Hartwell, Georgia, always preaching with passion, compassion, and conviction; and WHEREAS, he also served as senior pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in West Lafayette, Indiana, and Hartwell Baptist Church in Hartwell, Georgia, where his leadership, vision, and pastoral care left an indelible mark on the lives of his congregation; and WHEREAS, Dr. Kirby was a thought-provoking and encouraging preacher, whose words inspired reflection, growth, and hope; he was a teacher who fed both mind and soul with truth, humor, and grace; and WHEREAS, he was a wonderful educator, especially gifted in teaching children the love of Christ, and was affectionately known as the "master of the children's sermon," delighting and inspiring young hearts with his warmth, creativity, and care; and WHEREAS, a compassionate and generous man, Dr. F. Hugh Kirby will long be remembered for his love of family, friendship, and community and will be missed by all who had the great fortune of knowing him. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body join in honoring the life and memory of Dr. F. Hugh Kirby and express their deepest and most sincere regret at his passing. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the family of Dr. F. Hugh Kirby. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia House resolution honors the life of Dr. F. Hugh Kirby, a longtime minister who served churches across the Southeast, and offers condolences to his family. ### Plain-language summary This resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives is a ceremonial tribute to Dr. F. Hugh Kirby, who died on July 12, 2025 in Hartwell, Georgia after more than 66 years as a minister. It recounts his education, the many congregations he served in South Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Indiana, and Georgia, and his reputation as a beloved teacher and preacher, especially known for his children's sermons. The resolution does not change any Georgia law. It formally expresses the House's regret at his passing and directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for his family. ### What it does - Formally honors the life and memory of Dr. F. Hugh Kirby on behalf of the Georgia House of Representatives. - Expresses the House's sincere regret and condolences over his passing. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to his family. - Does not create, amend, or repeal any statute or appropriate any state funding. ### Who it affects This resolution directly concerns the family of Dr. F. Hugh Kirby, who will receive an official copy, and reflects the sentiments of the Georgia House of Representatives. It does not impose obligations on the public, agencies, or other institutions. ### Why it matters The resolution carries no legal or financial effect but serves as a formal, public record of appreciation for Dr. Kirby's decades of ministry and community service, offering his family recognition from the state legislature. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses recount Dr. Kirby's birth, death, education, and decades of ministry at multiple churches across several states. - The first resolving clause has the House join in honoring his life and expressing regret at his passing. - The second resolving clause directs the Clerk of the House to make a copy available for distribution to his family. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-03-25) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-03-25) - Sponsors: Alan Powell - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74447 > The history, votes, and amendments (134 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1899.md?full=1