Name: Comstock-Kaye Life Celebration Centre
Address: Peterborough, ON

My darling Kirk hope you were there to take dad by the hand and you are both in a better place you both will be missed until we all meet again sending my love. Mother and wife. Theresa

May 21,2017

To our darling Kirk another May 20th and it just seems to get harder our darling living without you,in our thoughts and prayers forever. RIP till we meet again Mom and Dad xoxo

  To our darling Kirk another May 20th has come and gone,I find each year just gets harder without you and your love and big bear hugs, miss you my darling forever, till we meet again Mom,Dad and Kevin foreverxoxoxo:)

To Sue & Sobey Family 

I don't even know where to begin....I've known the Sobey family my whole life. Kirk *a.k.a* (Kirkles) was like a brother to me growing up. Every summer, Fall and not to forget every New Years.. The Arrowsmith family would head up to the Cabin Creek in Huntsville to visit the Sobey family.

I have so many great memories of Kirk**Kirkles that I hold close to my heart. My funny memory that comes to mind. Was up at the Cabin Creek of course, and Kirkles one day decided he was going to give me a biology lesson on birds. So here he was hanging his head out the patio door not realizing he was scarring the birds away. Meanwhile I was trying not to laugh because that whole time Kirkles thought he was educating me on the birds....Well it turns out that I never seen a single dam bird that day! And yes I just keep it at that.

Your always in the *Arrowsmith* heart. Xo

Dear Sue and Family,

The sad news just recently reached us here in Saskatoon.  Such a shock…  Many memories of Kirk have been running through my mind, especially the times when he and Kevin were in grad school together.   I don’t think I’ve ever laughed as hard as I did back then, especially when they got going on their “comedy routines”. 
 
I’ve also been thinking back to when you two lived directly across the street from us on 3rd St and I remember shortly after we moved in, after a New Year’s snow storm, how Kirk shovelled a path between our houses.  How’s that for a welcome to the neighbourhood?!  And how could I forget the image of Kirk driving around the corner in the blue and grey bronco with Sharps riding shotgun, both with the same look of adventure in their eyes.

Such great memories of such a fun time in our lives.  Please know that we are thinking of you, Sue and Brenna and Kalynn.  Take Care and God Bless.

Charmaine Hrynkiw

Dear Sue and Family. I am so sorry to hear of Kirk's passing. I remember both of you from your days in Saskatoon at NHRC. He will be sadly missed.

Dear Teresa & Glen
My heartfelt prayers are with you and all your family. I am so saddened by your loss.
Rita (Summers) Arnold,
Newmarket

Sobey and I shared many adventures chasing food (feathered, furred and finned) across the Saskatchewan prairies (and once he and Brenna gave me a lesson on Simcoe).  I'll share some of the lessons that Kirk taught me so his lovely daughters can save themselves the tough lessons that I had to learn with their dad:

Skinning a frozen deer is not a safe thing to do after consuming a substantial amount of celebratory Bohs.  I cut my finger to the bone when my knife slipped on the frozen front shank and in true Kirk style he stepped in to finish the job that I had (poorly) started.  Instead of laughing at me he should have been concentrating because he ended up cutting his finger to the bone on the same shank and we drove to the medi clinic with our bleeding hands hanging out the car window - me steering and him shifting.  They took us into the exam room together and gave us a two for one suture deal.  I still remember that day every time I look at the scar on my finger.  So girls - don't try to skin frozen deer - bring them in the house to thaw while your mom is at work like your dad and I used to do.

Another important lesson is that elecro-fishing jet boats don't float without the plug, no matter how diligent the "senior aquatic ecologist" is with his trip planning.  They also are very heavy when you wake up in the morning and the boat is beached on a sand bar in the south saskatchewan river after Kirk talked you into sleeping on said sand bar for the night and eating white fish until you can't stand it any more.  The challenge that Kirk had with his navigation is that the south saskatchewan has fluctuating water levels and ol' Sobey didn't check the schedule for the water release from the dam.

Kirk was the king of yellow light specials.  More than once we found ourselves in the middle of nowhere Saskatchewan without fuel because Sobey hated stopping at gas stations.  So girls - keep a jerry can full of fuel in your truck when you go hunting and don't be afraid to stop at a gas station like your dad was.

If you ever stay in a roach infested motel in Assinaboia Saskatchewan it is OK to clean pheasants in the bathtub.  We went pheasant hunting during a blizzard and -40 and ended up getting a bunch of pheasants because they were hunkered down in the creek and held for Sharps.  When we got to the motel after hunting and turned on the light there were cockroaches scattering everywhere and it was so cold outside we couldn't clean pheasants outside so we decided that cleaning pheasants in the tub might actually keep the roaches at bay while we slept.  Sharps pushed me off my bed in the middle of the night and I ended up sleeping on the floor. Kirk wouldn't share his bed with me.

Never give a deer the "coup de grace" with your knife.  Kirk and I were bow hunting together one fall and I shot a nice whitetail buck that Kirk helped me drag a mile.  It was 4 am by the time we got back to town and to say the least Sue was unhappy.  Kirk hunted from my treestand a few evenings later and I couldn't go so agreed that I would check in with Sue and if he shot something I would help him drag it out.  Kirk shot a deer but couldn't find it, so we grabbed Sharps and went to find his deer.  I started on the blood trail and Kirk and Sharps started on tracking ahead of me. After about 20 minutes I heard yelling and Sharps barking and I started making my way toward the commotion.  When I arrived at the scene all I saw from the lantern light was Kirk with his shirt torn open and covered in blood (I thought it was his at the time) and Sharps laying beside him also covered in blood and both on the verge of cardiac arrest.  In the dim lantern light I saw a mulie doe with Kirk's knife in her neck - finally subdued.  It turns out that a man with a knife and a fat brown dog are not as much a match for a deer as they might think.

They just don't make them like Kirk anymore.  The world has lost a classic and I feel as if my species is going extinct because there aren't many hillbillies like us out there.  Girls -your dad was one of the great ones and I feel so glad that I got to spend some time with him.  

One last lesson - make sure you put lots of onions on your deer heart samiches...

Sue & family, Kevin, Matthew, Theresa and Glen

I am so very sorry for your loss. 

I remember so many great things about Kirk, especially his sense of humour and his smile. I can't remember him ever having a negative thought about anything or anyone. 

The 2 biggest memories I have that stand out was one Christmas when he was truly surprised that Sue had come for the holidays. I remember the look on his face...it was like he was looking at a ghost. The other was when I was pregnant with his nephew, Matthew, and he was completely freaked out when he saw him move from the outside of my stomach. Then when he was born and held him for the first time he said "I grabbed your foot when you were inside your mommy's tummy. I'm glad you're not an alien".

Again I'm truly sorry and know that he will be missed with great passion. 
I'm glad he's at peace and will never forget him.

God Bless

Sue, Brenna, Kalynn and Brad  
It is funny that so many people in this book have commented about Kirk’s smile and the twinkle in his eyes.  They too, are the things that I will always remember about him.  I work in the MNR building on Water St. and whenever I ran into Kirk, either down town on the street or in the building he always greeted me with that big smile and his eyes would light up and he was never too busy to stop and have a chat and inquire about how I was doing and what was going on in my life.  Truly a lovely and caring man.  Cindy Donovan
Kirk and I knew each other on many levels, as colleagues in the rabies unit, teammates on the MNR Trentmen hockey team and as a friend. I am proud and honoured to have known him in all these capacities.  Whether it was work related or a social gathering he was always a pleasure to be around.  As was very evident in the large turn out for his final farewell, I am obviously not the only one who felt his ways.  Kirk touched many people in many different ways and will be sadly missed by us all.  Dennis Donovan 
Our deepest sympathies to you all on such a loss as this. 

Cindy and Dennis Donovan

Dearest Kalynn and Brenna,

I can’t begin to describe in words the sense of heartache and loss I feel for your entire family. Although these pages can never replace him, I hope the stories and memories described here comfort and shield you from such an overwhelming loss. 

I’m proud to say your father and I became the best of friends shortly after meeting 10 years ago. Kirk was like a big brother to me, someone I looked up to, and although we were only able to get together to hunt and fish a few short days each year, we talked at length most every week. Your father was an extraordinary man who never passed up the opportunity to tell me stories of each of you. Whether it was your first steps, first fish or the goofy getups you all wore for Halloween; I could hear the pride and adoration for each of you in his voice.

Your father and I especially enjoyed hunting big game together. Shortly after meeting, we planned annual deer, duck, turkey and moose hunts together. We shared the same ethics and respect for the outdoors and the game we pursued. Your father, like a big brother, would tease and joke with me regarding my hunting skills and take every opportunity he could to point out that someday if I might achieve his level of hunting skill. This was especially true if he happened to harvest an animal before me. This same kind-hearted tormenting was quickly picked up by your Uncle Kev and Grampa Glen when I would join them at the camp for deer and moose hunts. This regular ribbing eventually transpired into “Marcel”. Marcel being the name of the monkey your father always claimed he could see clinging to my back whenever we would go hunting. 

I have so many cherished memories and stories of your father that I couldn’t possibly describe them within the confines of these pages. So, I’ve assembled an album of pictures and news paper clippings of times I’ve shared with your father. I’d be honoured to share these stories with each of you.

Continue the traditions he so enjoyed and your father’s legacy will forever live on through each of us. 

From the Rosien Family

It was the summer of 2006 and I had just found out that my wife (Erica) was pregnant.  This was a surprise to us and as a "dad to be" I didn't know what to do.  So I called Capt'n, the only friend I knew who had a child at the time (Brenna).  He immediately informed me that Sue was also pregnant (with Kalynn). So we quickly decided to skip work to discuss fatherhood over a day of fishing on Chemung Lake.
  
While fishing for bass that day, Kirk and I discussed in great detail what I could expect during the pregnancy, labour and ultimately as a father.  He was so keen to relive and share his whole experience with Brenna and I could see the excitement and anticipation he had for the arrival of Kalynn.

I asked Capt'n many questions that day about what to expect during the delivery and how I would be able to get through it. Capt'n explained that it is like a championship hockey game. The stakes are high and you are nervous but players will rise to the occasion in the heat of the moment. I have to say that I was skeptical of this advice until the delivery day came many months later. On reflection after the birth of both of my sons, I must say that the advice from Capt'n was bang. In fact I have since used Capt'n's analogy when asked what to expect on delivery by other nervous "dads to be".

Brenna & Kalynn,
The memories shared by everyone in this book show you what an amazing person your father was. He loved life and that was obvious to everyone that knew him. I loved his sense of humour and ability to tell a great story. I will miss him very much. Instead of tell you one of my memories here, I thought I'd list a few of my favourites so that when you're a little older you can say 'Hey Uncle Brett, tell me about....'.  Here are a few great ones:
- The Proposal
- Camping in Algonquin
- The Keg
- Secret Agent Kirk
- Wedding Limo & Boat Ride
- Birthday Party on the Island
- Long Weekend in P.A.
I look forward to telling you each of these stories and many more. Your Dad was an amazing guy and he loved you both very much.

My deepest condolences to Kirk's family. I grew up on Idlewood just down the street from Kirk and have many fond memories of Kirk. I remember he brought a dead animal to the bus stop one day and chased all us girls. However, the funniest thing he ever did was during one of our regular evening hide and seek games. Kirk fooled us all when he stripped down to his long johns and walked up the street to home base because recognized him in the dark. 
To the entire Sobey family - my thoughts are with you.

At a time like this the memories come flooding back.  Kirk was infamous for his great smile and laugh.  We had some great times working together with the rabies unit, turkey hunting, doing the 'Rabid Bandits' proud or just enjoying life.  My greatest memory of Kirk took place in Algonquin park while collering moose calves.  Kirk and the rest of the crew had me so convinced there was a moose with a calf in the water that I must have circled that island a dozen times in the capture boat.  Finally realizing to my horror that I had caused us to miss a calf, I timidly approached the island only to hear Kirks famous laugh echoing across the lake.  I had been another victim of Kirks great sense of humour.

Sue Brenna and Kalynn,

My heart breaks for your loss, as a husband, dad, or friend he will be missed by all who knew him.

May 28, 2011
Very sad news!  My heartfelt condolences to Family and Friends.  I had the pleasure of meeting Kirk on a Goose Banding project in Polar Bear Provincial Park.  He was a master Goose Herder and an even better angler!  On numerous occasions we had to start the helicopter and threaten to leave him on the river before he would pull in his line and climb aboard for the trip back to base camp.  He made the camp the finest Brook Trout breakfast I've ever had!!
Bill Spiers
Aviation Services
Muskoka

Dear Family,

I have many fond memories of Kirk, including many happy discussions about his data when he was busily analysing the rabies control results. He was really enthusiastic about that work! But my fondest memory of Kirk was when he was working at the Peterborough Zoo as the 'Conductor'. My young kids really looked up to the conductor, and they were especially pleased when Kirk gave them free tickets for an extra ride around through the screaming tunnel and past the snake, etc. I didn't know him well at the time but I could see how warm hearted he was in that simple gesture. Later, when he first brought his and Sue's first daughter Brenna into the ES building, I again realized what a sweet, loving and kind dad he would be. Such a loss. From all of our family, I am so sorry.

A FATHER DAUGHTER TIME

It’s the early morning the weather cold with flakes of snow
Lake Simcoe is the place to go.
And as I warm the truck to leave I feel a tugging on my sleeve
What are you doing up I say.
I want to go with you to day
 I think its better that you stay the weather is bitter cold out there today
Please let me go dad I won’t complain 
To be with you and catching fish is all I want please grant my wish
And looking in her eyes I see that my daughters growing up just like me.

Sue, Brenna and Kalynn, 

Kirk was a great guy, excellent hunter and great co-worker. I had the pleasure of working with Kirk at MNR in the Regional Planning Unit and Wildlife Section during some short acting assignments. He was always very passionate about the work and a bright light when discussing complex issues.  My best work experiences with Kirk were working on the airboat duck banding, as a fellow Airboat Captain, Kirk is one of a few individuals in MNR that could call himself an Airboat Capt'n, so I guess his knickname fits in more ways than one.  
My best memories of Kirk of course are related to hunting.  I can remember having a long conversation about duck hunting one time, Kirk was being ever so elusive about where he was going, not wanting to give too much information about the hot spot, after about 10 minutes, much to his dismay, I pin-pointed on a map where he was going as I had been hunting the exact same hot spot.  Being the good guy that he was, we shared some opening days for next 3-4 years at that hot spot.  

However, my best hunting memory was archery hunting for moose up in WMU 55B. Kirk was not one to sit around too long and he often seemed more like a wolf on the prowl for game than a silent sit in your stand bow-hunter.  Kirk's moose-like instinct managed to push a moose right to Ryan Rosien who bagged his first ever moose with a bow(see attached photo).  Luckily for Kirk, Ryan was successful, as Kirk during his bush crashing exploits managed to lose the pins off his bow and had to watch a young spike-horn bull walk 15 yards in front of him.  When we were teasing him and asking why he didn't shoot free-hand, Kirk smiled and said he wouldn't take the chance and injure the young bull, just let him grow and we'll get him during the next hunt.  Kirk was a man who was passionate and demonstrated a level of respect for the outdoors at the highest level. I'm going to miss the constant grin and the sweat pooring from his face as he eats my hot pepper moose chile.

My deepest sympathies,

John "Boosey" Boos

We have had the privledge of knowing the Sobey family for almost 6 years. Many an afternoon, Kirk would come to pick up Brenna and Kalynn and I would find myself engaged in conversation about Kirk's exciting work in the field or his latest hunting trip. One particular afternoon, I remember Kirk coming in and sitting down in our house centre as the girls proceeded to dress him in a beautiful tiara, scarves and gloves, like a trooper he enjoyed the tea being served and loved every minute of it.He shared his love, his life and his passions with his children. Having been in this field for almost fifteen years, I can honestly say I have never met another 3yr old would could do a turkey call :)
I will miss his smile and genuine kindness with his girls. He was a great daddy, taken far to early, but his legacy will live on through his beautiful children.

My condolences to everyone in Kirk's family. I grew up across the road from Kirk is Midhurst. Kirk was the fastest lawn cutting kid in the villiage. He would tie a rope around the handle of the lawn mower and the other end of the rope to the back of his motor cycle and back and forth he would go.
My thoughts are with you today.
Bruce DeGeer

As I read through the entries in this book of memories, the words that are found over and over to describe Kirk are passion, enthusiasm, and joy.  Although I only knew Kirk through work we did together on rabies projects, these are the three words I would also choose to describe him.  We shared many scientific discussions during these projects.  Great ideas and challenging questions were the order of the day; Kirk’s enthusiasm for the subject matter and commitment to excellence shone, and I enjoyed these exchanges with him very much.  Most of all, I will remember his sense of humour, which was always a bright spot in our conversations. My sincere condolences to all of Kirk’s family and friends, and especially to Sue, Brenna and Kalynn.  Kirk was a good man and will be greatly missed.

Christine Fehlner-Gardiner, CFIA Centre of Expertise for Rabies

When a father takes his son fishing, little does he realize he is sparking an interest and a skill that will follow him throughout his life.  

And it is not until the boy grows to become a skilled biologist, that he truly comprehends how all life’s experiences shape his abilities to undertake a life’s work.  

It is people like Kirk, with their passion and skills, who have made the MNR Fish and Wildlife organization one of the best we have in the world today. 

- David H. Johnston, Rabies Unit, 1962-1994

Our sincere condolences to the entire Sobey Family.  I always appreciated Kirk's sense of humour and how much fun he was to be around.  I can say that I had the pleasure of sharing a duck blind with him and watching our kids play hockey together in Ennismore.  His enthusiam for life, family and the outdoors will always be cherished by everybody who has been privileged to know him.

The Baldwin Family, Ennismore, Ontario

I worked with Kirk during his brief assignment with Wildlife Policy Section a few years ago. He had a twinkle in his eye and was always quick with a smile - especially when talking about experiences with his young family and adventures of hunting and fishing. Kirk lived life with abundant enthusiasm. His infectious love of life will be missed by all who knew him. My deepest sympathy to his family and especially his beautiful daughters - he was so proud of you and he loved you with all his heart.

I am very sorry to hear of Kirk's passing and pray God will give you all his grace and comfort. My deceased husband Reg Sobey was Kirk's uncle. I only met Kirk once, when he was maybe 8 yrs old and his dad and uncles had gotten a moose near Maple Glen, NB. Kirk was very proud to help! Bless you.

My condolences to Kirks family and friends. I had the honour of knowing and working with Kirk briefly with the MNR and more specifically, the Rabies Research Unit. He always seemed to go out his way to make people feel confortable, and always made me chuckle with that great smile and laugh. He will be missed.

Kirk and I were colleagues at the MNR Wildlife Research Section in Peterborough for the last decade, so I got to know him fairly well. Kirk was hired as analytical biologist but in his heart he longed to be in the field doing research on wildlife. Much of the time he was busy analyzing data for publications. One on which he was senior author was recently published in the JWD. However, his face would light up like a kid when he was given the opportunity to go into the bush and work on wildlife. One of his greatest adventures was navigating a helicopter team to capture and radio-collar elk but the biggest smile on his face occurred when he was drugging elk with a dart gun – he just loved to shoot a gun. 
Kirk and I shared at least 3 passions, the love of hunting, fishing, and of course hockey.  I vividly recall when Kirk and I played on the same team during an MNR hockey tournament. Our team was aptly called the Road-kill. We lost all of our games during the tournament and we won the Turkey trophy that year – i.e. worst team in the tournament – but boy did we have fun and we laughed a thousand laughs- mainly because of Kirks contagious sense of humour. 
Kirk was a hunter extraordinaire- he lived to hunt. Every hunting season he was like a kid with a new BB gun. And every year he would show me the photos of the deer hunt with his dad and brother – we were always in a competition to see who would get the biggest buck. Any every year Kirk’s deer would put most others to shame – including mine. He was truly a gifted hunter.
Just 2 weeks ago Kirk and I chatted about his conducting research this coming winter on elk use of habitat in the Lingham lake area. He was truly excited about the prospect of working in the field with elk this year. That is the last visual memory I have of Kirk and true to his style he had a huge grin on his face as he left my office. 
Our plans are to fly in January 2012 and capture and collar several bull elk in the Lingham lake area. That flight will be dedicated to Kirk and one of the GPS collars that will be put on the largest bull elk will bear Kirks name.
Kirk I will truly miss you, as will your MNR family. 
Rick Rosatte
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
Wildlife Research and Development Section
Peterborough, Ontario

Theresa & Glen
I am so very sorry to hear of the recent, devastating  passing of your son Kirk.  My thoughts & prayers are with you, Kevin, & Kirk's family.

Kaylnn and Brenna I must say I will never meet another person like your dad he was truely one of a kind.He was so proud of you both and when he spoke of you, you couldn't wipe the smile off his face.Bren I can remember the day you made the ice cats he called me and was on cloud nine that his little girl had made it and he going to get the chance to spend more time at the rink and more time with you.

Calling all captin's. Capt'n I want to thank you for all the memories, we had a blast didn't we buddy.From opening day Turkey and all the scouting to ice fishing on the lady [and god knows where else]. Talking on the phone for hours trying to solve all the world's problems or standing in front of the new fireplace with our arms crossed for hours trying figure out the best way to hang the mantle and how could I forget the creation of TEAM GOBSTOPPER!!!.

You were a friend,a buddy,a pal but most of all a "brother".You will always be remembered and never forgotten.

Love you Bro,
Burdman

Kirk was a great friend and fellow teammate on the Bandits and Trentmen. He would always put a smile on your face or have you laughing with a quick witted comment or joke in the dressing room. When I was new to the rabies unit, he made me feel like I was an equal to all the veteran trappers. He will always be remembered by his hockey teammates for his number 00. He was a great player who gave 150% out on the ice and never gave up. The Bandits and Trentmen will never forget "00".

Kirk will always be remembered by us and everyone who knew him for his sense of humour, love of the outdoors and positive outlook on life.  Working with Kirk was a true pleasure and playing hockey and fishing with him was always a great time.  I will always remember how his face would light up as he talked about his daughters.  It was obvious he was very proud to be the father of his two girls - it shined through in every story he told.  We wish for both Brenna and Kalynn to know and always remember how proud your father was of you both.

I knew Kirk through Monday night hockey with MNR.  He wasn't out much over the past few years, but when he did play he was a whirlwind on skates and always had good hands around the net.  I didn't know him well, but he seemed like a fun loving and genuine person.  My heartfelt condolences go out to his wife and children and his family and friends.  Looking through the photo album, Kirk's love and pride for his daughters is obvious; he was richly blessed.

In a very short period of time I gained a great friend. It was like we knew each other all our lives. Always to be greeted with a long drawn out "Hey Buddyyyy!" when we'd meet at the rink for the girls practices and games. I would listen in amazement at the stories he had about fishing or hunting. He was always a joy to be around. (maybe because he was one of the few that liked my pre-season playoff beard) I was so excited to get to know him better and have more great laughs (Kirk getting us a room at the provicial hockey tournament with only one bed??). I was also looking forward to have him as an assistant coach for our daughters hockey team this season. I know now how great a person, father, and husband Kirk was because of the impact he had on everyone's lives in such a short period of time. In the last e-mail I received from Kirk he wanted to know if the girls were going to get Gatorade and Rice-a-roni as signing bonuses because I work at Pepsi. He also wanted to if growing a beard was mandatory for assistant coaches. Well buddy, yes, yes & yes!!!

I haven't spoken to Kirk since Eastview high school, but I do know his brother Kevin and his wife Lisa well. It sounds as if Kirk hasn't changed very much. When we went to Forest Hill P.S. together he was always the one with the great big smile all of the time and he always had something funny to say. He also made those boring early morning high school bus rides bearable. I will always remember him making fun of my English accent and my name when I first moved to Canada. He used to always say Laura May what? You see my last name was " May." My sincere condolences to his wife and family.

I have so many great memories of Kirk that even in a state of grief I can still laugh.  That was Kirk's greatest gift.  From his ever present smile to his vibrant voice in cubicle city Kirk could always make me laugh.  
We had some great work experiences together from collaring moose calves in Algonquin Park to darting a large bull elk in Douro this year.  I remember both of us running out of the office last minute, gathering up everything we would need, regretting terribly now that we forgot the camera. I remember saying, nuts, we forgot the camera and Kirk saying forget it, we likely won't see the elk anyhow.  As we sat in the snow sawing off the antlers, we both laughed thinking what great shots we could have had with this trophy elk in our hands.  Kirk, wherever you are, i hope all the animals are trophies and the Whities never stop biting !

Kirk, I remember your amazing smile...Your little girls will remember this too. Take comfort in your memories. Kirk will always be with you. My prayers are with you and your family. God Bless, your cousin Kerri

"Life might take your loved ones to heaven, but it can never snatch away their memories". Brenna & Kalynn your dad has touch so many people’s lives leaving so many memories.  While working with Kirk at the rabies unit when I look back I always remember his smile, since of humour and his encouragement.  In particular, his teasing pep talks during my first MNR hockey tournament. My prayers are with his family and dearest friends.

My most prominent memories of Kirk are of his smile that brightened his entire face and lit his eyes, his teasing personality and his sense of humour. One time while visiting our grandparents' place in Maple Glen, Kirk made a funny documentary-style video of our grandfather (Pappy). Pappy was collecting wood from his land and unknowingly wearing 2 hats so he became the main character "mr two touques" who was allegedly collecting wood illegally.

Mainly, my interactions with Kirk were professional but on one occasion, and I have always treasured this one, he asked me about my parenting methods.  I was amazed how he sat there and absorbed all my experiences; we made a plan to sit down again and share more experiences.  Kirk showed a willingness to learn, professionally and personally but as a parent, I think he did a great job as reported by Stephi and the numerous photos of Kirk hunting with the girls. 

Love to all the family during these difficult times

Sue, I tried to think back for memories of Kirk from grad school so that they may be passed onto your  girls. Everything I could think of revolved around the fun times we all had with lots of laughs.  I can only imagine that the fun-spirit of both you and Kirk has been passed onto your girls, and that is a wonderful gift that can be carried forever.  Sue and family, I am so very sorry and sad for you loss.  I hope you take comfort in your own memories and the memories of his friends and family.  Hugs.

My first fishing trip in Algonquin Park was with Capt'n. I was lured in by Kirk's tales of the giant lake trout that inhabited Opeongo according to ancient MNR lore.  In typcial Kirk fashion, the scouting began several weeks before the trip.  He studied maps, called other MNR staff, visited fishing message boards, researched hot baits and did everything he could to put us on these lakers prior to the trip.

When we arrived the weather was miserable.  It was late August and it managed to get down to 4 degrees celsius and it downpoured the whole time we were there.  I wish Capt'n would have spent some of the prep time mending his tent because we had a creek running between us while we tried to sleep the first night.  

To make matters worse, in almost 2 full days of fishing all of the hot spots Capt'n had marked out, we didn't get a single  bite! 

We went on many fishing trips together after this disaster and anytime we ran into a slow bite Capt'n would say; "Could be worse Barts, we could be on Opeongo...".

God bless you Capt'n, I will miss you buddy.

The funniest story I can remember of my cousin Kirk is my Dad(Andre) telling us about the time Dad was in the grocery store with Kirk & Dad couldn't find him & when he did he was hiding in the freezer with the turkeys. We all still laugh when the story is told.
He will be missed in our lives & hearts.  Will always be watching over us with his Aunt Eileen.

From the Trudel Family.

My first camping trip in Algonquin Park was with the Capt'n.  He was so excited to show me how to catch giant lakers on Opeongo.  In typical Kirk fashion, he was online researching the best bite, calling people to get ideas and preparing all he could for 2 weeks in advance of the trip so that we would be on the fish.  It was late August and the weather took a turn for the worst and got down to 4 degrees over night and it down poured the whole time we were there.  I wish Kirk would have spent a bit of the prep time mending his tent because we literally had a creek running in between us while we slept the first night!

To make matters worst we fished for almost 2 full days and didn't even get a bite on the spots Kirk had found!  I haven't been back to the Park since.

Everytime we went fishing together after this trip and the bite was slow Kirk would say, "Could be worst Barts, we could be on Opeongo".

You will be missed buddy.  God bless the Capt'n.

Brenna & Kalynn, your Dad was a great role model for many of us who work at MNR. He approached his work every day with a huge smile on his face. He was constantly telling stories about you guys and what he did that weekend with his family. I could usually hear him laughing across the hall. He was equally positive on the ice during the many hockey games we played against each other. Keep up the family tradition of the great outdoors and your Dad's memory will last forever in your hearts.

As a Veterinary Epidemiologist working for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in Guelph, I would meet up with Kirk at the Rabies Advisory Committee meetings usually held in Peterborough. Kirk always talked about his two young children with great pride and happiness as well as his love of playing hockey. He also talked about the challenges of fitting everything into his tight schedule although he admitted that as time went on hockey took a back seat to his family. He was a great person and he will be missed.

In the fall of 2008, Kirk was in Toronto for medical treatment, and because he was using an office near mine, I got the chance to get to know him. His eyes always lit up and he always had a smile when he talked about his family. Sue, Brenna and Kalynn - I feel honoured to have known your husband and father, and I know that everyone here who met him feels the same.

My sincere condolences to Kirk's family.  I had the opportunity to work with him on a few occasions, and he was always very positive and alot of fun.  I recall one episode of duck banding one dark and foggy night near Timmins.  We had an adventurous trip back to shore in the dense fog, and the shore found us much sooner than we had expected! We all had a few laughs.  Kirk's passion and enthusiasm will be missed.

I ran into Kirk in the hallway one day and he enthusiastically told me of a Turkey hunting expedition that he and his young daughter had recently embarked upon.  Kirk said that even though they didn’t get any Turkeys that morning, they had packed lots of snacks and it had been a great morning outdoors.  Please accept our deepest sympathies, our thoughts are with you.

My sincere condolences to all of Kirk's family.  Ontario's natural resources have lost a passionate and enthusiastic champion with his sudden passing.  He was a great colleague for all in the fish and wildlife programs at MNR.

I want you to know that even though I only worked with Kirk briefly, he brought such life, passion and enthusasim to the job during our short meeting in the Southern Region Planning Unit.  He showed us how you can enjoy your job.  My wish now is that I would have known him better.  He was a man of solid character who always made others feel better.

OBITUARY

Kirk Capt'n Kirk Gerald Sobey

18 June, 1970 – 20 May, 2011

Comstock-Kaye Life Celebration Centre

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