Arvo Virks

Arvo Juhan Virks, 69, of Matunuck, RI died on May 11, 2021 at home. He was the son of Dr. Johannes Virks and Hilda (Kartau) Virks. Born in Warwick, he was the first child in his family to be born in the US after his parents emigrated from Estonia following WWII. Arvo grew up in Cranston and attended the Moses Brown School and graduated with his BA in Philosophy from the College of Wooster, Ohio in 1974. Arvo joined Digital Equipment Corp. in 1984 in the early days of the telecom industry and specialized in internet security. As a security consultant, he worked for Compaq, Hewlett Packard, Alcatel Lucent and retired from Nokia in 2017. He always loved the ocean. A lifelong surfer, Arvo pursued his passion from Florida to Hatteras to RI. He practiced aikido for decades achieving the rank of Sandan. His martial arts discipline also included the daily practice of Tai Chi. However, he was never one to turn down a raucous round of golf with his friends. Arvo leaves behind his wife, Loraine Byrne of Matunuck, RI; a son, Kalev Johannes Virks of Florence, MA; a daughter, Sara Liisa Virks of Bennington, NH; and his beloved grandson, Janek Paul Virks of Florence, MA. He was the brother of Piret Congdon of Canton, MA; Ulle Virks of Charlestown, RI; and Vilja Virks-Lee of Loch Arbor, NJ. His death brings profound sadness to his many nieces and nephews and to his extended family in Estonia. A gathering will be held at the Avery Storti Funeral Home, 88 Columbia St., Wakefield, RI on Saturday May 22 at 1:00 p.m.