Post by Anja on Jun 24, 2006 20:35:26 GMT -5
Irwin believed in forgiveness, found strength----A graphic artist and
administrator at Radford University, Kitty Irwin became known for opposing
capital punishment after her daughter was killed.
Kitty Irwin, who became widely known several years ago for her efforts to
spare the life of her teenage daughter's killer, died at her Radford home
Wednesday.
Irwin, 56, suffered from breast cancer that had spread to her bones and
throughout her body. She was diagnosed with the disease just days after
burying her daughter, Tara Rose Munsey, in 2000.
Last month, Irwin remarried Bill Munsey, Tara's father.
Their daughter was 16 when she disappeared from her job at the Fairlawn
Taco Bell in January 2000. Her body was found weeks later in Parrott in a
ravine. She had been shot four times.
In March 2001, a Pulaski County jury convicted Jeffrey Allen Thomas, who
had dated the mother of Tara's boyfriend, of capital murder, attempted
rape and a firearms charge.
Irwin begged the jury to spare Thomas' life, asking that they instead
recommend he spend his life in prison.
"The loss of Tara has been terrible, but we don't wish to see another
person die," she told the judge. "We don't wish to see Jeff die."
When the jury recommended that Thomas be sentenced to death, Irwin went to
Richmond and Boston to speak out against capital punishment.
The Virginia Supreme Court later overturned Thomas' conviction and granted
him a 2nd trial. Thomas accepted a plea agreement and is serving the rest
of his life in prison.
"She forgave him and she holds no ill will toward him. That tells you what
kind of person she was," Irwin's friend Debbie Zaroba said Wednesday.
It was Zaroba's son who was dating Tara when she was killed. The families
more recently became connected in yet another way -- Zaroba's aunt served
as Irwin's caretaker.
"She's just been a very good comforter, even when she was the one who
needed to be comforted," said Zaroba, who now lives in Florida.
After Tara's death, Irwin reconnected with Bill Munsey, the man she had
divorced in 1987.
"We've kind of been together all the time since then," Bill Munsey said
Thursday. "We finally figured out how much we were in love with each
other."
The couple remarried May 13. They have a 21-year-old son, D.D. Munsey.
In her professional life, Irwin was a respected graphic designer at
Radford University, where she served most recently as the public relations
department's director of creative services.
She also taught art classes, and she was instrumental in starting the
school's annual Highlanders Festival.
"Kitty was a great friend to us," said Debbie Brown, associate vice
president for university relations, "but she was one of the greatest
artists and graphic designers I've ever met."
Brown said that under Irwin's direction, the department won regional and
national graphic design awards.
But it wasn't until she took a stand against the death penalty that Irwin
became well-known.
Some thought she was crazy and sent her hate mail when she begged for
Thomas' life to be spared, said the Rev. Kris Kramer of Grace Episcopal
Church, where Irwin served on the vestry.
Others called the church to say they thought she was an amazing woman.
Irwin's vocal opposition to capital punishment led her to speak at a
conference with Sister Helen Prejean, author of "Dead Man Walking," the
book that was made into a motion picture starring Susan Sarandon and Sean
Penn.
Kramer called Irwin "one of the bravest women I have ever had the pleasure
of knowing."
Kramer said Thomas never said exactly what happened during Tara's last
hours, and the uncertainty was hard on Irwin.
Kramer promised Irwin he would let Thomas know when she died, and she
wanted the minister to tell Thomas that "she now knows the truth" about
her daughter's fate. She also wanted Thomas to know she still forgave him,
Kramer said.
"She really passionately thought the 'turn the other cheek' Scripture
mattered," Kramer said. "My life will be forever changed by being able to
know Kitty."
(source: Roanoke Times)
************************
administrator at Radford University, Kitty Irwin became known for opposing
capital punishment after her daughter was killed.
Kitty Irwin, who became widely known several years ago for her efforts to
spare the life of her teenage daughter's killer, died at her Radford home
Wednesday.
Irwin, 56, suffered from breast cancer that had spread to her bones and
throughout her body. She was diagnosed with the disease just days after
burying her daughter, Tara Rose Munsey, in 2000.
Last month, Irwin remarried Bill Munsey, Tara's father.
Their daughter was 16 when she disappeared from her job at the Fairlawn
Taco Bell in January 2000. Her body was found weeks later in Parrott in a
ravine. She had been shot four times.
In March 2001, a Pulaski County jury convicted Jeffrey Allen Thomas, who
had dated the mother of Tara's boyfriend, of capital murder, attempted
rape and a firearms charge.
Irwin begged the jury to spare Thomas' life, asking that they instead
recommend he spend his life in prison.
"The loss of Tara has been terrible, but we don't wish to see another
person die," she told the judge. "We don't wish to see Jeff die."
When the jury recommended that Thomas be sentenced to death, Irwin went to
Richmond and Boston to speak out against capital punishment.
The Virginia Supreme Court later overturned Thomas' conviction and granted
him a 2nd trial. Thomas accepted a plea agreement and is serving the rest
of his life in prison.
"She forgave him and she holds no ill will toward him. That tells you what
kind of person she was," Irwin's friend Debbie Zaroba said Wednesday.
It was Zaroba's son who was dating Tara when she was killed. The families
more recently became connected in yet another way -- Zaroba's aunt served
as Irwin's caretaker.
"She's just been a very good comforter, even when she was the one who
needed to be comforted," said Zaroba, who now lives in Florida.
After Tara's death, Irwin reconnected with Bill Munsey, the man she had
divorced in 1987.
"We've kind of been together all the time since then," Bill Munsey said
Thursday. "We finally figured out how much we were in love with each
other."
The couple remarried May 13. They have a 21-year-old son, D.D. Munsey.
In her professional life, Irwin was a respected graphic designer at
Radford University, where she served most recently as the public relations
department's director of creative services.
She also taught art classes, and she was instrumental in starting the
school's annual Highlanders Festival.
"Kitty was a great friend to us," said Debbie Brown, associate vice
president for university relations, "but she was one of the greatest
artists and graphic designers I've ever met."
Brown said that under Irwin's direction, the department won regional and
national graphic design awards.
But it wasn't until she took a stand against the death penalty that Irwin
became well-known.
Some thought she was crazy and sent her hate mail when she begged for
Thomas' life to be spared, said the Rev. Kris Kramer of Grace Episcopal
Church, where Irwin served on the vestry.
Others called the church to say they thought she was an amazing woman.
Irwin's vocal opposition to capital punishment led her to speak at a
conference with Sister Helen Prejean, author of "Dead Man Walking," the
book that was made into a motion picture starring Susan Sarandon and Sean
Penn.
Kramer called Irwin "one of the bravest women I have ever had the pleasure
of knowing."
Kramer said Thomas never said exactly what happened during Tara's last
hours, and the uncertainty was hard on Irwin.
Kramer promised Irwin he would let Thomas know when she died, and she
wanted the minister to tell Thomas that "she now knows the truth" about
her daughter's fate. She also wanted Thomas to know she still forgave him,
Kramer said.
"She really passionately thought the 'turn the other cheek' Scripture
mattered," Kramer said. "My life will be forever changed by being able to
know Kitty."
(source: Roanoke Times)
************************