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Mary Frances Irby Obituary

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Mary Frances Irby

Senatobia, MS

August 22, 1924 - August 8, 2016

Mary Frances Irby Obituary

Mary Frances Meriwether Irby, 91, originally of Hernando and later of Senatobia, passed away at the Senatobia Health and Rehabilitation Center on August 8, 2016. She was born August 22, 1924 in Hernando, MS to Americus Payne and Anna Meriwether. She graduated from Hernando High School in 1942 and attended Mississippi State College for Women where she was a member of Rogues. She married Lt. Van Leonard Irby, also of Hernando, in 1943. She was preceded in death by brothers, Gerald W. Chatham, Donald Chatham, A.P. Meriwether and sister, Barbara Meriwether Summers. Her husband, Van of 60 years, passed away in February 2003. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Cheryl and Bob Thompson of Senatobia, daughter, Vikki Irby Damoth of Southaven, and son and daughter-in-law, Gerald and Jill Irby of Taipei, Taiwan. Mary’s eldest son, Van L. Irby, Jr., passed away in February, 2015. She is survived by six grandchildren; Victor Hart of Holmen, WS, Robert W. Moore of Dallas, GA, Cecil Andrew Thompson of Nashville, TN, Van Hardy Thompson of Oxford, MS, Jennifer Beavers Windsor-Cummings of Memphis, TN and Eric Ellis Beavers of Nesbit, MS. She is survived by eight great-grandchildren; McKenzie, Hannah and Tori Hart, Tanner, Peyton, Lainey and Brodie Moore and Elizabeth Beavers. Mary and her husband spent 28 years of their married life in the service of the U.S. Army and traveled the world with their four children. Upon retiring from the military in 1970, they enjoyed returning to family and old friends in the small Mississippi town of Sledge. Mary and Van were members of the Sardis Presbyterian Church and later Mary became a member of the Senatobia Presbyterian Church. Mary was an active member of the Senatobia Cosmopolitan Club, Heflin House of Sardis, Daughters of the American Revolution (James Gilliam Chapter), Sycamore Arts and the Meriwether Society. Mary will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday August 14, 2016 at Senatobia Presbyterian Church. Interment will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery in Sardis, MS. Visitation will be from 2 to 3 p.m. at the church. Memorial contributions may be sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Ray-Nowell Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.

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