Marion Kirby, who served as Guilford’s Director of Athletics for five years in the final phase of a storied career in high school and collegiate athletics, died Monday in Greensboro after a period of declining health.
As athletic director in a non-coaching role from 2002-07, Marion oversaw the improvement and expansion of the College’s athletics facilities and the number of athletic teams from 12 to 16. Quaker teams claimed an NCAA Division III men’s golf championship and four Old Dominion Athletic Conference championships. Also in that period, Tom Palombo and Stephanie Flamini were hired and became the winningest men’s and women’s basketball coaches, respectively, in Guilford’s history.
Marion started the football program at Greensboro College in 1996 and built a competitive team in six years. Before that, he won 219 games and four state 4A football championships in 23 seasons at Page High School in Greensboro. He began his career as a coach at Holmes High School in Edenton, N.C.
Fellow Page H.S. coach Mac Morris – himself a basketball coaching legend -- summed up Marion’s career this way: “He was a better person than he was a football coach, and he was one of the best football coaches ever.”
A Hickory, N.C., native, Marion played on an NAIA championship football team at Lenoir-Rhyne College (now University).
A memorial service will be held at Lawndale Baptist Church in Greensboro Tuesday, June 27, at 3:30 pm.