They left a legacy in Kennewick. Remembering 2 city leaders

The city of Kennewick has lost two of its longtime leaders.

Former Councilwoman Marge Price and retired Fire Chief Bob Kirk served in the city for decades.

Kirk, 70, died in Tempe, Ariz., last month after a two-year battle with cancer.

Price, 91, died last week at home in Kennewick.

“They touched a lot of people’s lives in a positive way, and the city of Kennewick is better for their presence here,” said Police Chief Ken Hohenberg, who worked with both during their long careers.

Price served as the city clerk for more than 20 years before she retired in 1997 and was appointed to the city council a year later.

She ended up serving three terms as a city councilwoman, eventually being defeated by Don Britain, who later became mayor. She was named the Kennewick Woman of the Year in 2002.

“She was very committed to the city of Kennewick,” Hohenberg said. “All of the things that she did she were Kennewick focused.”

He said she was one of the sweetest people he’d ever met, and she loved the city and its residents.

Kennewick’s untamed council meetings that often lasted until after midnight drove her to become a registered parliamentarian and an authority on Robert’s Rules of Order, she told the Herald in 2006.

‘Fire service was family affair’

Bob Kirk’s career started in Hillsboro, Ore. where he rose through the ranks before he moved to Lane Rural Fire District to become its chief in 1982.

When he moved to Kennewick in 1985, he and his wife, Nita, only planned to live in the Tri-Cities a couple years.

He stayed at the city for 20 years.

After retiring in 2005, he took a job leading the Hanford Fire Department for another six years.

“My parents fell in love with the Tri-Cities,” Kirk’s daughter Trish Herron told the Tri-City Herald. “My dad really enjoyed the camaraderie of Kennewick and just ended up making a career out of it.”

Kirk was committed to making the city a safer place, she and Hohenberg said.

He spearheaded efforts to pass a bond to move a fire station from Kennewick Avenue to Morain Street. The effort succeed after four attempts.

Along with his work to improve fire safety in the city, he left a lasting impression on the next generation of fire service leaders. He also served on the state’s Emergencey Medical Services and Trauma Streering Committee.

“The fire service was a family affair,” Herron said. “When I walk into a fire station, the smell reminds me of my dad. We grew up in the fire department. He lived and breathed the fire service.”

Outside of working, Herron said he loved to go walking even until a few weeks before his death, he would hike 4 to 6 miles a day.

“He was a fighter,” she said. “He was the epitome of what the fire service stands for.”

This story was originally published February 28, 2020 at 5:00 AM.