Cathy Baumgardner Kirwin

Cathy Baumgardner Kirwin, age 55, of Austin, Texas, passed away on the evening of Monday, February 4, 2008 following a long and courageous battle to overcome cancer. Born August, 2, 1952 in Charleston, West Virginia, Cathy moved to Dallas with her family and graduated from Highland Park High School. She earned a BA in Sociology/Urban Studies from Texas Tech University and a Master's in Public Administration/Business from the University of North Texas. Cathy began her professional career in Dallas as an intern with the city manager's office and the US Department of Agriculture but spent the majority of her professional career serving the citizens of Austin, first with United Action for the Elderly and later in a variety of roles in city government and public utilities. In 1977, she was hired by the City of Austin to work in the city manager's office as Assistant to Dan Davidson and two years later served as Executive Assistant to then Mayor Carol Keeton McClellan. Cathy then moved on to the Austin Electric Utility in 1980, initially as Staff Services Coordinator. She then held the positions of Director of Administration and Community Services, Director of Communications, and Public Information Manager; retiring in 2000 after 20 years of service. Cathy had a unique gift of being able to insert compassion in the everyday work life and after her retirement, continued her work in consulting, teaching leadership development, and working part time as a faculty member at the University of Phoenix. Cathy is preceded in death by her father, Ralph Baumgardner of Dallas and survived by husband Bill Kirwin, and daughter Lindsay Kirwin of Austin; mother Betty Baumgardner of Dallas; sister Becky Jacobs of Austin; and brother, David and sister-in-law Melissa Baumgardner of Texarkana, and her loving nieces and nephews. Services will be held at Wilke-Clay-Fish Funeral home in South Austin, Friday, February 8 at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations to the American Cancer Society would be greatly appreciated.