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George Donald Kirschbaum, Sr., 95, of Arlington, VA, passed away on August 6th, 2025, in his home. He was the loving husband of Mrs. Marion O’Connor Kirschbaum and the proud father of George D. Kirschbaum, Jr. Born in West Orange, New Jersey, to the late Albert and Jeannette (Dreyfus) Kirschbaum, he was the youngest brother to Jean, Marion, and Edward. As a young man, Dad was an enthusiastic Boy Scout and then Sea Scout (despite not swimming a lick), and said that being a scout had a significant impact on his life. A proud graduate of Washington-Lee High School class of 1948, he was a dedicated member of the student Cadet Corps, and formed many lifelong friendships, as well as a love for the shooting sports. He was directly recruited into the CIA, working in printing and then switching to logistics. He served for ten years in the U.S. Naval Reserves as a submariner, ranging from New Haven, Connecticut, to Havana, Cuba. Upon leaving the CIA, he pursued his passion, fighting fire with the Arlington County Fire Department for almost 30 years. As a volunteer firefighter with Company 1 and then as a professional with the paid department, he found great satisfaction in helping others. Service to his community was important to him. He helped open the original Station 10 in Rosslyn and worked his way through the ranks to become a Station Commander at Station 1, where he got his start. Like his son, his men called him “Dad.”
He loved the challenge of honing the skills necessary to be a successful competitive marksman and promoted the shooting sports at every opportunity throughout his life. He loved seeing the smile on someone’s face when they started their lawn mower, which he had just fixed, with just one pull. A good action movie on TV brought a smile to his face, and he cheered on the Commanders for Sunday afternoon football, often with friends and fellow firefighters. When someone needed a hand, he was the first to offer one in return. He was warm, honest, and caring. If you were lucky enough to receive a hug from him, you knew you were someone special in his world.
