Irene Eakes

Funeral services for Irene Eakes will be held Friday, May 2, 2025 at 11 a.m. from McLain Chapel Pentecostal Church with Bro. Bert Jones and Bro. JW Jenkins officiating. Burial will follow in McLain Chapel Cemetery. Visitation will be held Thursday, May 1, 2025 from 5 – 8 p.m. at McClain-Hays Funeral Home and on Friday, May 2, 2025 1 hour prior to the service at the church.

Mrs. Eakes, 80, of Philadelphia passed away Sunday, April 27, 2025 at Mobile Infirmary Medical Center.

Mrs. Irene was born to Ceburn and Easter Mullins in Dickenson County, VA. She married Larry Eakes on May 8, 1964, and they resided in Michigan for the first few years and welcomed Shelly and Becky and in 1969 they moved to Philadelphia where Kim would complete their family a couple years later. Irene loved to cook, collect cookbooks, coins, t-shirts, gardening, baking cakes, canning and teaching her family her special pickle recipe. But in the end due to her health her most favorite thing to do was talking on the phone. She dearly loved her animals, especially Daisy. She enjoyed family gatherings when she went back home to Virginia to see her family for their annual vacation and she loved her Mississippi Eakes family and looked forward to spending time with them at family reunions and gatherings.

She was employed at Country Boy in Michigan as a waitress and when she moved to Philadelphia she worked several manufacturing jobs, Well’s Lamont, Garan and Nemanco. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and sister and will be missed by all. Mrs. Eakes was a longtime member of McLain Chapel Pentecostal Church.

Survivors include her husband of 60 years, Larry Eakes of Philadelphia; daughters, Shelly Vowell (Robert), Becky Stuart (Johnny) and Kim Clark (Scott) all of Philadelphia; grandchildren, Kassie Richardson, Drew Woods, Dakota Ashley (Smith), Megan Alford (Jonathan) and Noah Clark; great grandchildren, Khloe and Kenzie Richardson, Blakely Woods, Jon Robert, Maebry and Jaxtyn Alford and Vada Ashley; sisters, Phyllis Elkins and Donna Kay Austin; several nieces, nephews and their families.

Mrs. Eakes was preceded in death by parents, Ceburn and Easter Mullins; brother, Johnny Ray Mullins; mother-in-law Luva Eakes; and numerous brothers and sisters-in-law.

Pallbearers: Drew Woods, Noah Clark, Jonathan Alford, Dobie Eakes, Bobby Pilgrim, Danny Pilgrim, Darren Pilgrim, Junior Bell, Scott McLain and Shelby Anthony.

Honorary Pallbearers: Chris McKinion, Jon Robert Alford, Jax Alford, Smith Ashley and Taylor French.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to Phyllis Elkins (sister) and sisters-in-law, Ann Robinson and Mavis Smith and Brittany King (hairdresser). Also, Anderson Hospital and ICU, Ochsner Stennis Hospital, Ochsner Rush Hospital, Neshoba General Swing bed, Mobile Infirmary Hospital and ICU, Fresenius Kidney Care and Accent Care.