George R. Kilby ’56

George died June 15, 2026, in Anniston, Ala., surrounded by family after a battle with cancer.  

Following his father, Thomas Erby Kilby 1921, to Princeton from St. George’s School in Newport, R.I., George joined Cannon Club, wrestled, played J.V. football (very proud to be promoted to varsity late in the 1953 season), and majored in mechanical engineering.  

After graduation and a short stint in the Army, he returned to Anniston, where he worked at Kilby Steel Co., which was sold to FMC Corp. in 1968 with George adjusting to life in a big corporation. In 1986, George relaunched Kilby Steel as a machine shop, which he enjoyed running and expanding to more than 600 employees before his retirement. 

He was devoted to his family, ski trips, fly fishing, Colorado mountain living, hunting, and raising his Beagles.  

George was predeceased by his first wife, Houston Andrews, and his stepson, Loy Thompson. He is survived by his second wife, Farley; sons George ’82, Tom, and Whit; stepdaughters Farley and Martel; 10 grandchildren; and three step-great-granddaughters.