CAPE ELIZABETH - Thomas Charles Kirner passed away on May 3, 2024 after a sudden but courageous battle with cancer. Thomas, known to family and friends as Tim, was an extraordinary man. A beloved husband and father, he was kind, honest, gentle, and thoughtful. There was no finer friend in life to those in his circle. He had a passion for travel, was an avid runner, a reader of history, proud of his Navy days, and a master model craftsman.
In his words…“I’ve had a wonderful life with my wife, Ann. My three major accomplishments were raising children who’ve established themselves as responsible citizens in society.”
He will be so missed by his dear heart, Ann, his three children, their spouses, six grandchildren, and all who loved him.
Semper Fortis - Always Courageous
Services will be held at Saint Bartholomew’s Catholic Church on Friday, June 14th at 10 a.m., followed by interment at Cape Elizabeth’s Riverside Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in Tim’s name to the Land Protection Fund at the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust.
A Tribute to Tim Kirner from roommate Charles Todorich
Allow me to tell you about my USNA roomie and lifelong great friend, first of all by recounting the astonishing parallel aspects of our lives. We both had the name Charles - me a first name, Tim's middle name; both grew up in Pennsylvania - I in Johnstown, Tim in the Philly area until his family moved to Michigan during his high school years; both history majors at USNA when the Class of '70 total history majors numbered about six; both had 1/C cruises on a nuclear sub; both went NFO for service selection; both married high school sweethearts - I on June 6, Tim on June 27; both ended up in the P-3 pipeline with orders to NAS Brunswick, Tim in VP-44, I in VP-11; Tim's initial orders out of Brunswick were to the USNA History Department to teach Sea Power, but they were changed at last minute to NAV School Corpus Christi; I then got those same orders to the USNA History Department; Tim left the Navy in 1976 and returned to Maine and bought a house in Cape Elizabeth; I left the Navy in 1978 and we bought a house that Ann found for us a mile from them in South Portland where we still live; Tim had a long and successful career in the insurance industry; after a couple different forays I also ended up in the insurance industry. I have had no finer friend in life than Tim. With Ann and their two daughters and son and six grandchildren they are a wonderful American family. Tim's longstanding interests included history, politics/current events, running, and model building. He built models of every car he'd ever owned and every Navy aircraft he'd ever flown. His most impressive model, however, is the several foot long model he did of the Coast Guard cutter his son in law captained, for which Tim had to hand-fabricate many of the parts. It is breathtaking. Tim made O-6 in the Navy Reserve, a significant distinction. Tim was diagnosed with cancer about a year ago and had a great rally in his health for 6-8 months following successful chemo, but then a slight stroke, then shortness of breath, then a pleural catheter to drain his lungs, then an infection ... the typical cascading of events. He was stoic throughout, setting an example I don't think I could duplicate.
May God forever bless our classmate and my great friend, Tim Kirner.
Updated:10 May 2024
Curator: Ed Moore