A memorial service for Warren Lee Kirbo, 64, is being planned at Camilla United Methodist Church on Saturday, Nov. 20, at 11 a.m.

Mr. Kirbo was born Jan. 12, 1946, to Thomas Levi Kirbo Jr. and Ellen Hall Kirbo, both of whom predeceased him. He died Friday, Nov. 12, 2010, at his home in Mount Juliet, Tenn.

Warren was married once for about a year. After the divorce, his brother, Glenn, called him to see how he was doing.

Warren said, “Fine. Why do you ask?”

Glenn said, “Well, you just went through a divorce and I thought you would be down.”

To which Warren replied, “Well, she wanted to get married!”

Warren was a talented pen and ink artist and drew hundreds of homes, courthouses, university buildings, law schools, boats, aircraft and ships. He was recognized and won several awards for his artwork. Warren loved to use extreme detail in pictures that could only be seen with magnification. He enjoyed including detail and history in every picture. Some of his artwork included drawings of buildings at the University of Georgia, University of Florida, North Georgia College and State University, Mercer University and Vanderbilt University.

At times, Warren was academically misunderstood. When he was in high school his teacher, Mrs. Davis, asked the class to write an English paper five pages in length.

Warren asked, “What subject should we write about?”

She told him to write it on any subject he wanted but no four-letter words. She thought she had better say this, knowing Warren. Warren proceeded to write a five-page paper with no four-letter words and turned it in to Mrs. Davis. She then threw him out of the class and sent him to the principal, Mr. Waters.

Warren protested, “I was the only student who had no four-letter words in my paper! You try! It’s hard!”

In addition to being academically misunderstood, there were other difficulties he encountered in high school. His fondness for nature frequently got him in trouble.

Mrs. Gertrude Kemp approached Warren while he was typing in her class where she saw a snake stick its head out of Warren’s shirt. Warren found a snake at school and hid it in his shirt to take home after school. The snake stuck its head out while Warren was talking to Mrs. Kemp. Mrs. Kemp did not expel Warren only because Warren’s mother was Mrs. Kemp’s best friend. But that did not mean she did not want to.

Warren had difficulty at North Georgia College and State University, where he majored in mathematics. On his final exam, the professor gave him an F, meaning he would not graduate. Warren went home to Camilla and told his parents he had failed his last required math class. Warren’s Aunt Kate knew the math professor called him to find out why Warren had failed. The professor said that Warren took his final in ink when he had been specifically instructed to only use pencil. The professor would not even grade the paper. Aunt Kate begged him to grade it and he did. Warren had worked the problems perfectly and would have earned an A but for the ink. The professor would only give him a B on principle; however, Warren ended up graduating from the college he loved.

Warren loved his North Georgia College and State University ROTC buddies and enjoyed his stint in the Army, where he was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone. He enjoyed working on the college class reunions and running the Web page for it.

Warren was amazing to his family, a great brother and friend. Warren’s family would like to thank everyone who loved Warren during his lifetime, especially his friend, David Howell.

Please join Warren’s family and friends for a service in the sanctuary, followed by a gathering in the Fellowship Hall. If you can attend, please feel free to share “Warren stories” or “Warren-isms”!

Warren is survived by his sister, Helen Virginia Kirbo of Albany, Ga., his brothers, Thomas Levi Kirbo III of Moultrie, Ga., and Glenn Arthur Kirbo, of Albany.

Warren was unmarried and was survived by his niece, Dorothy Kirbo McCranie of Moultrie; and five nephews, Thomas Levi Kirbo IV of Moultrie, Clifford Nation Kirbo of Moultrie, Glenn Arthur Kirbo Jr. of Atlanta, Campbell Warren Kirbo of Macon and John Hall Kirbo of Albany.

Warren is also survived by six grand-nieces, Meredith Lane Kirbo, Aurora Olivia Kirbo, Ruth Anne McCranie, Ellen Virginia McCranie, Eva Holland Kirbo and Ansley Mae Kirbo, and four grand-nephews, Thomas Levi Kirbo V, Marshall Thomas McCranie, James Nation Kirbo and Charles Keaton Kirbo.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Camilla United Methodist Church (39 South Harney Street, Camilla, GA 31730) or to North Georgia College and State University in Dahlonega, Ga.

Nashville Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.