Agatha “Aggie” Kirby Perkins, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, died on October 13, 2025 together with her husband Thomas Perkins.
Born on December 24, 1958, in Newport, Rhode Island, she was the daughter of the late Jerome R. Kirby Jr. and Helen C. Kirby.
Aggie graduated from Middletown High School where she excelled academically and athletically. She was the first female athlete to compete on the Men’s Varsity Tennis Team. She went on to attend St. Lawrence University, graduating in 1981, and continued to distinguish herself as an accomplished collegiate athlete.
Her love of the outdoors led her to Vail, Colorado, where she met the love of her life, Tom Perkins, a fellow St. Lawrence alum, ice skating at a public rink. Aggie and Tom married and welcomed their first child, Emily, in Vail, before returning to Newport, RI, where their son Owen was born. They raised their children surrounded by family. Aggie had a deep connection with the natural world and was grateful for every moment outside, especially on her beloved island.
Aggie had a unique gift with children and made an impression on many local students as an educator at St. Michael’s Country Day School and Little Friends Farm. She later combined her love of teaching and movement as an aerobics instructor, yoga and Pilates instructor, and longtime personal trainer, impacting countless lives with her endless energy. Aggie was a lifelong learner and teacher.
Aggie nurtured her competitive spirit every day through countless activities – she often couldn’t decide which to do on any given day! She was an accomplished waterwoman–from wind surfing to swimming, surfing, kiting, and foiling–she was often the lone female in the line-up and the ultimate cheerleader, encouraging everyone to get in the water and share her stoke. Aggie excelled at every athletic pursuit and became an expert golfer, competing in and winning countless tournaments. In 2024, during their 40th year of marriage, both Tom and Aggie won the respective Men’s and Women’s Invitationals at their beloved Newport Country Club. Aggie and Tom traveled the world to golf, surf, and explore together.
Above all, Aggie was devoted to her family. She is survived by her children, Emily Perkins (Daniel East) and Owen Perkins (Margaret Davies Perkins), and her cherished grandchildren Axel, Ayla, and Obsidian. She also leaves behind her beloved siblings: Kathleen Kirby Greenman (Chris), Jerome Kirby III (Kim), Kevin Kirby (Libby), Matthew Kirby (Michelle), Myra Kirby, and Nicholas Kirby (Claudia), Laurie Kirby, her mother-in-law Barbara Young, her Perkins and Young brothers and sisters-in-law, along with many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews and treasured friends.
Aggie will be remembered for her infectious spirit, generous heart, sense of adventure, and the joy she brought to every day. Her legacy lives on in the strength of her family and the many lives she touched.
Visiting hours will be held Tuesday, October 21 from 2 – 6pm in the O’Neill-Hayes Funeral Home, 465 Spring St, Newport. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Wednesday, October 22 at St. Mary’s Church in Newport at 11:00 AM. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Norman Bird Sanctuary, Save the Bay, and Newport Contemporary Ballet.
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