Philip Irby Jr.

1925 - 2015

Philip (Phil) Erskine Irby, Jr.

Madison

Philip (Phil) Erskine Irby, Jr. passed away peacefully early Sunday afternoon, March 22, at St. Catherine's Village in Madison. Visitation will be at St. Richard Catholic Church from 5 to 7 pm Tuesday, March 24, followed by a short prayer service. Visitation will continue at St. Richard 9:30 am Wednesday morning, followed by a funeral Mass at 11:00 and burial at Lakewood Memorial Park in Clinton.

Phil was born in Jackson on October 25, 1925, the son of Philip E. Irby and Gertrude Miazza Irby. He was educated at St. Joseph and Central High School, where he was a 1943 graduate. He served in the U.S. Army Air Forces, and entered Millsaps College upon discharge, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 1949. He was hired as a Special Agent by Prudential Insurance Company in 1952, where he had an active career of service until his retirement in 1995. He was elected as president of the Jackson Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) in 1952. On May 9, 1953, he married Mary Helen Pointer, who was born in Clarksdale, MS and raised in Troy, AL, later moving to Jackson. He became active in the Jackson Association of Life Underwriters, and served as its president. He completed courses of study offered by the National Association of Life Underwriters (Life Underwriter Training Council-LUTC), and taught local classes in 1954. He received 36 consecutive National Quality Awards and was named as Jackson's Most Outstanding Young Man in 1954. Phil continued his studies through The American College of Life Underwriters, and earned his Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) designations. He also served as Chairman of the Ethical Practices Committee for many years, and as president of the Mississippi Chapter of Chartered Life Underwriters.

During his 46 years with Prudential he qualified for most company conferences, and frequently was a speaker. Phil based his business practices on James 1:27, "looking after widows and orphans in their distress". He was featured in the September 1971 issue of Life Association News of the National Association monthly publication in an article about his service to policyholders and their widows. Excerpts from this article were also published in Kiplinger's Changing Times and he received many favorable local and out of state letters from life insurance agents about these articles. He was active in and served as President of the Jackson Toastmasters Club, Capital City Kiwanis Club (with perfect weekly attendance for 36 years), Northwood Homeowners Association, River Hills Club and Lake Castle Lot Owners Association.

Phil had an active life within Saint Richard Catholic Church since 1954 and served in many capacities and ministries, including usher, lector, Eucharistic minister, finance committee, parish council, bereavement, and Christian service committees. He was a member of The Catholic Foundation, serving on the board of directors for 15 years, and was honored with the Good Steward Award in 2005.

He will be remembered as a prince of a man by his loving family and many friends, who will recall his enthusiasm for his regular weekly tennis games at River Hills, yard work, travel, and sharing his many photographs of family, friends, and flowers, and dancing with the love of his life, Mary Helen, as well as many other members of local dance clubs. He enjoyed his weekly tennis games well into his late 70s, many of those with his younger brother, Jamie. He enjoyed travels with Mary Helen and his four children, taking many trips to Prudential conferences, Pass Christian, MS, and Destin, FL. He especially enjoyed trips to Wimbledon to watch tennis, which were agreed to by Mary Helen on the condition that he would take her "antiquing" while they were there. Most of all, he will be remembered for the joy he experienced helping other people.

Phil and Mary Helen moved to Manila Drive in Jackson in 1954. Phil moved to St. Catherine's Village in Madison in December 2008, two years after Mary Helen's death. He enjoyed his time at St. Catherine's, where he reunited with many old friends and made new friends, most notably Chris Rowley, with whom he also enjoyed dancing!

He was predeceased by his parents;his sister,Gertrude Irby Scott of Fayetteville, Arkansas and his loving wife of 53 years, Mary Helen. He is survived by loving family members, son, Philip E. (Phil) Irby,III and his wife, Kim of Fort Walton Beach, FL; son, William P. (Will) Irby and his wife, Laura of Madison; daughter, Paula Irby Maniscalco and her husband,Jerry of Jackson; son, Thad S. Irby and his wife, Louann of Madison; granddaughter Carrie Irby Maniscalco of Jackson, grandson,LT Jerry C. Maniscalco, Jr, USN of Milton, FL and ganddaughter,Taylor Amanda Irby of Oxford. He is also survived by siblings, Rosemary (Posey) Albriton and James William (Jamie) Irby, both of Jackson and numerous nieces, nephews and other family members.

The family would like to express their deep appreciation and gratitude to the entire staff at St. Catherine's, who made him feel like part of their family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Richard Catholic Church, P.O. Box 16547, Jackson, MS 39236, Te Carmelite Monastery, 2155 Terry Road, Jackson, MS 39204 or a favorite charity.