Eileen Kirby, 64, reporter, producer, dies

There's a cherry tree in Fairmount Park with Eileen Kirby's name on it.

It was what she wanted and it's an appropriate memorial for a woman who treasured the environment, and who was a creative writer and artist with a quirky streak that endeared her to her many friends.

Friend Bruce Silver already misses her signature "cackle-laugh" and "quick, bright eyes. Wow!" he said.

Pals Jonas dos Santos and Tim Yurek called her "a beautiful flower."

Eileen Kirby, a writer whose articles appeared in nearly every publication printed in Philadelphia, a radio producer, a photographer, a watercolorist, a gardener and a community activist, died April 21 after a fall in her home in Old Kensington. She was 64.

She was a free-lance contributor to the Daily News, Inquirer, Philadelphia Magazine, Welcomat and Northstar, and a copywriter/editor for the Drummer and the Planet newspapers.

She got a kick out of writing a feature in which local celebrities told stories of their "first kiss," and one in which she turned up the origins of Philadelphia neighborhood names.

Eileen had a 30-year career in broadcasting, as reporter, scriptwriter, engineer and operations manager for local stations.

At WHYY-TV/FM in the '70s, she was a local producer and coordinator for "Learning to Fly," a weekly women's program, as well as for two mini-documentaries of National Public Radio's "All Things Considered," and the nationally distributed Feminist Radio Network.

She produced and directed 15 of the station's fundraising campaigns.

Eileen grew up in Olney, was married briefly, traveled extensively, obtained Irish citizenship and was a Francophile and Anglophile.

She maintained a "correspondence" with Queen Elizabeth II, receiving formal replies.

Her daughter, Amy Connelly, said her mother was "a quirky mistress of etiquette.

"She always sent the perfect card, gift or informative newsprint clipping to her loved ones, aptly dubbing herself a 'queen mum.' "

"She took photos no one else would snap," said Faith, a niece.

She showed up driving in the motorcade on two campaign visits by Bill Clinton and Al Gore, and wrote and performed in the annual Gridiron/Roast Show of the Pen and Pencil Club.

She also is survived by her former husband, Jerry; a sister, Trish Cohen, and a brother, Gene.

Services: A memorial service was private. *