Louise Higgins Irby

Louise Higgins Irby joined her husband, Hall, in heaven on January 23, 2017 after a long life filled with the love of God and the love of her family and friends. She is preceded in death by her grandson, David Hall Bartik.

Lou is survived by her son, Dr. Steven Irby, her daughter, Renee' Bartik, , her two grandsons Tim Bartik and Andrew Irby, her son-in-law, Tom Bartik, her daughter-in-law, Ann Irby, and her sisters, Jo Ruffer, Fran Baird and Mary Neel.

Lou was born in Morrison, TN on October 17, 1930. She remembered her childhood as happy and centered on her large family. Lou married the love of her life, Hall Irby, on September 15, 1951, while Hall was at Georgia Tech. She and Hall moved several times between New Jersey and Nashville during the early years of Hall's career with the Bell System before settling in Atlanta in 1964.

As a mother to Steve and Renee', Lou was a fierce and tireless advocate for her children. She set the bar high and always set an impeccable example of how to live life.

For three decades Lou worked in the real estate business helping countless people find the home of their dreams, always going the extra mile for her clients. She served a president of the DeKalb Board of Realtors and served for years on the Georgia Board of Realtors Ethics committee.

With the birth of her first grandson, Tim, in 1989, Lou transformed into Mama Lou and became the most caring and doting grandmother imaginable. Nothing in this world made Mama Lou happier than the success and good fortune of her grandsons. She was an unquenchable fountain of love and kindness for her grandsons.

Mama Lou was intensely loyal and selfless to her family and friends and would do anything to help those she loved.

Mama Lou was vigorous and socially active until the moment of her stroke which happened only three days after she had cooked a lavish Christmas dinner for her family. She was strong, loving and determined until her last, peaceful breath. Memories of Mama Lou will always be a source of joy for those who knew her.

Funeral service will be held on Saturday, January 28, 2017 at 4:00 pm at the chapel of A.S. Turner & Sons Funeral Home. The family will receive friends 2 hours prior to the service. Interment will be on Monday January 30, 2017 at Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, GA. A.S. Turner & Sons Funeral Home and Crematory.


Funeral Home:
A. S. Turner & Sons
2773 North Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033