SMITH THOMAS IRBY Jr.

SMITH THOMAS IRBY, JR.IRBY, Smith Thomas, Jr., a resident of Montgomery, AL, expired Friday, February 7, 2003. Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, Febru-ary 15, 2003 at 11:00 a.m. from the New Harvest Church of Christ, 4701 Virginia Loop Road, Montgomery, AL, where he was a very faithful member. Dr. Rodney Comer offici-ating. Burial will follow in the Mont-gomery Memorial Cemetery with E. G. Cummings Memorial Funeral Home, Inc., Directing.Smith Thomas Irby, Jr., was born April 10, 1965, the fifth child of the late Smith Thomas Irby, Sr., and the late Inez (Johnson) Irby in Orrville, Alabama, Dallas County.After hearing and believing the Word, repenting of his sins, confes-sing that Jesus Christ is the son of God, Smith Irby was baptized for the remission of his sins and en-tered into the body of Christ at the New Harvest Church of Christ in Montgomery, AL, where he was a faithful and dedicated soldier in the army of the Lord until he was called home. He was a devoted member of the Services Ministry and a founder of the New Convert Alert newsletter.Smith was raised in Selma, AL and graduated from Selma High School where he received several awards and special recognitions for his academic performances, especial-ly in the areas of mathematics and science. He moved to Montgomery after earning an A.S. Degree in Computer Science at George Cor-ley Wallace Junior College in Sel-ma, AL. He earned a B.S. Degree in Computer Science and a M.S. De-gree in Computer and Information Science from Troy State University Montgomery. He did extensive stu-dy in mathematics at Auburn Uni-versity Montgomery. He had been accepted for matriculation in the doctorate program for computer science at Auburn University in Au-burn, Alabama.For seventeen years, Smith was a devoted employee with the Ala-bama State Department of Tran-sportation. During that time, he re-ceived numerous awards and certi-ficates for his outstanding job per-formance. Most recently, he re-ceived the State Department of Transportation's Commendation Award and was selected as the '-Employee of the Quarter' for de-monstrating behavior that ex-ceeded the call of duty. He was serving in the Computer Services Bureau as a Maintenance Support Supervisor at his demise.His siblings and friends affectionate-ly knew him as 'Ba' Bro'.On Friday, February 7, 2003, at 9:10 p.m. in a local hospital in Mont-gomery, AL, God in His infinite wis-dom, saw fit to call Smith Thomas Irby, Jr., home to eternal life. He will be forever loved and remembered by those left to cherish his precious memories: a loving and devoted wife, Brenda Jeanette Irby; two sons, Thomas O'Neil Miller and Brandon Thomas Irby; two daught-ers, Candra Alexis Irby and Kayla Renee Irby; five sisters, Jerryneta (Leonard) Evans of Dothan, AL, Re-netta (Linward) Barnes of Panama City, FL, Marlene (Marcus) Smith of Montgomery, AL, Lucy (James) Smith of Selma, AL and Nadine (R-ichard) Smitherman of Panama City, FL; an aunt, Queenesther (Capps) Grace of Montgomery, AL; a loving mother-in-law, Jeraldine Ware of Montgomery, AL; a suppor-tive brother-in-law, Eric Ware of Los Angeles, CA; special friends, Char-lie Walker and Charles Cato of Montgomery, AL; a special child-hood friend, William 'Russell' Jeffer-son of San Antonio, TX; a special nieces who was more like a sister, Michelle Pope, Selma, AL; a loving church family and a host of sorrow-ing nephews, nieces and other re-latives and friends.The body will lie-in-state from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. in the church.