Hall Calhoun Irby

Early on Thanksgiving morning, November 22, 2012, after a valiant eight year battle with a relentless cancer, Hall C. Irby, 82, of Atlanta, passed away at home while cradled in the loving arms of his family. Hall was born in Frogue, Kentucky to Prentice Virgil Irby and Edna Smith Irby, and grew up in Murfreesboro, TN. As a high school student, he developed a passion for HAM radio and was the area representative to Boy's State. He graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1954 with a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering. At Georgia Tech he worked in the co-op program for WAGA TV. While in college, he met and married Lou Higgins of Nashville, TN, who was the love of his life for the next 61 years. After graduation, Hall served as an officer in the U.S. Army Signal corps where he worked on communication systems for NORAD, and then joined the Bell Telephone system where he worked as an engineer for the next 37 years, the last 29 of which were with Bell South in Atlanta. At Bell South, Hall did pioneering work on cable television systems and on digital data transmission. In his retirement, Hall's attention turned to managing Kings Creek Kennels, in Snellville, GA, a family business operated by his daughter, Renee. Hall loved flying and was an instrument rated private pilot who used his skills to help others through, the Angel Flight program. He also enjoyed skiing with his family on vacations in Colorado and spending time with his grandsons at the family cottage on Lake Lanier. He will be remembered by all who knew him as a man with a heartfelt smile, filled with kindness, warmth, gentleness, grace, humor and humility. He walked quietly in the footsteps of Jesus and was a member of the Buford Church of Christ. Hall is survived by his wife, Lou, who's total devotion gave him the strength to endure his brutal illness, by his children, Dr. Steven Irby and Renee Bartik, to whom he was a hero, by his grandsons, Tim and David Bartik and Andrew Irby, to whom he was their beloved PaPa, and by his brother Peter Irby. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday November 27th at Buford Church of Christ, 1135 Chatham Rd. Buford, GA 30518 with Rev. Scott Harp officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Angel Flight or to Georgia AGAPE. A.S. Turner and Sons Funeral Home and Crematory.



Funeral Home:
A.S. Turner
2773 N. Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033