Kirby Hardy Smith

Kirby Hardy Smith, 60, of Dallas, TX, died March 5, 2021, in a tragic skiing accident in Big Sky, MT. Kirby is survived by his devoted family: wife, Stephanie, and sons, Aidan and Weston, all of Dallas; brother, Ray Smith of Bryant, AR; sister, Sharon Short of Bryant, AR; niece, Cally Adcock and her husband, Cory of Cave Springs, AR; nephew, Drew Short of Bentonville, AR; and two great-nephews, Ferguson Adcock and Fitz Adcock of Cave Springs, AR.; mother-in-law, Jean Alston; father-in-law, Thomas J. Alston both of Texarkana, TX; sister-in-law, Elizabeth Alston Sheehan; brother-in-law, Paul Sheehan and their sons, Connor and Avery, all of Port Orchard, WA.

Kirby was born July 14, 1960, in Nashville, TN, the son of Wanda Hardy Smith and Noel Ray Smith. He was predeceased by his parents as well as his grandparents, Floye and Deane Hardy, Sr., and Lillian and Nathaniel Smith.

Kirby graduated from Bryant High School in Bryant, AR, and earned his bachelor of arts degree from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. He received his MBA in finance and accounting from Emory University in Atlanta, GA.

Since 2005, Kirby worked at Barrow Hanley Global Investors in Dallas, serving most recently as managing director and client portfolio manager. Before joining Barrow Hanley, Kirby served as managing director of institutional equity sales for Bear Stearns. Prior to joining Bear Stearns, he worked at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, and Lehman Brothers.

Before his investment banking career, Kirby held positions in public accounting and corporate finance. He was a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, as well as the Certified Financial Analyst Society of Dallas-Fort Worth.

Kirby played as hard as he worked, if not harder. He loved researching and collecting Klipsch speakers, his early-morning tennis matches before work, dirt bike racing, golf, skiing (water and snow), boating and riding his jet skis on the lake, and riding his motorcycles. He was passionate about watching all Arkansas Razorbacks games – football, basketball, and baseball – and Dallas Stars hockey.

But nothing gave him more pleasure and satisfaction than spending time with and providing love and support to his family – both immediate and extended – and his legions of loyal, longtime friends.

A celebration of Kirby’s life will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, March 12, at Park Cities Presbyterian Church in Dallas, with a reception to follow at the Warwick Melrose Hotel, the same location where Stephanie and Kirby welcomed family and friends to their wedding reception more than 28 years ago.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Klipsch Museum of Audio History – https://www.klipschmuseum.org/donations – or the ministry of your choice.