Billy Jack "Coach" Irby

Billy Jack “Coach” Irby passed away Thursday, December 29, 2016, with his beloved Betty by his side.  Services will be Monday, January 2, 2017 at 1:00 PM at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home in Temple, with Dr. Ron Milne officiating.  Private burial will be at Hillcrest Cemetery.  Family visitation will be Sunday afternoon, January 1, 2017 from 4-5 PM at the funeral home. Billy was born on April 20, 1933, in Granger, Texas to Walker Lee and Willie Ima McClintock Irby.  He moved to Little River, Texas, as a small boy and attended Academy Public Schools, graduating from Academy High School in 1952.  He played football (his passion), basketball, track, and lettered in all sports all four years. He served in the U. S. Army, 25th Military Police Battalion, from 1953-1955 in Korea.  Following his discharge, he attended and graduated from Temple Junior College, graduating in 1957.  He received his B.S. degree in Science from North Texas State University in 1959, and his Master’s Degree in Education from Baylor University in 1974, and his Mid Management Certificate from Baylor in 1986. He was employed by Temple Public Schools as coach and teacher at Travis Junior High School 1959-1970, Bonham Junior High School 1970-1973.  He then coached and taught at Academy High School 1973-1976, Bartlett High School 1976-1977, and with Belton Public Schools 1977-1996.  In Belton he was coach at the junior high several years, and later became Assistant Principal there.  While coaching, he began the “Little Red Relays.”  The TASSP voted him the District Outstanding Administrator for 1993-1994.  He loved his athletes, students and fellow workers, and they loved him in return.  Many of his students and teachers sent him thank-you notes and came to him in public places when they saw him, telling him what a positive impact he made on their lives. He was a member of the Texas High School Coaches Association and the Texas School Principals Association.  He was a member and a deacon of Immanuel Baptist Church in Temple.  He had served on and chaired several committees.  He was very active in Sunday school, having taught classes and serving as superintendent through the years.  He was a member of the Prime Time Gold class. He married the one love of his life, Betty Virginia Haynes, on October 1, 1960 at Immanuel Baptist Church in Temple. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Oscar Irby and his wife, Faye, Cecil “Ditt” Irby, R.D. “Dolphus” Irby and his wife Peggy, a nephew, Craig Irby, and his beloved mother-in-law, “Lillie Belle” Haynes. He is survived by his wife Betty, of Temple, his sister, Sue Smith of Collinsville, MS, and one sister-in-law, Lois, of Temple, three nephews; Dave Irby of Burleson, TX, Dan Irby of Santa Fe, NM, and Cecil Irby of San Antonio, two nieces, Carolyn Curtis and husband Bill and Cindy Stephens and husband Mike, all of Houston. If desired, memorials may be given to Operation Christmas Child c/o Immanuel Baptist Church, 1401 West Central, Temple, Texas 76504.  Temple Animal Shelter, c/o Dr. Lance Crews, 1604 W. Ave. H, Temple, Texas 76504 or Wilson Valley Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 457, Little River, Texas 76554. Billy will be greatly missed, but we know he is “safely home in Heaven at last.”