Bess M. Irwin

Bess Irwin, lovingly known as Goody by her grandchildren and great grandchildren, joyfully left these earthly constraints on August 13, 2011. She was born in 1915 in New Hebron, MS, the eldest daughter of Myra and J. C. McGuffee. She married the love of her life, J. E. Irwin, in 1936 and they lived in New Orleans, LA, Jackson, MS and Vicksburg, MS before his death in 1974. In 1988, Bess joined her daughters, Myra Smartt and Jimmy Westcott, and their families in Dallas. She has been an active member of Park Cities Baptist Church working as a volunteer in the Clothes Closet, Harrod Mission and the library at Dallas Baptist University where she received the Ruth Award in 2001. She was preceded in death by her parents and her older brother Earl and his wife Ruby McGuffee all of New Hebron, her brothers in law Torrence Sneed of Gulfport, MS and Fred Ratchford, Pensacola, FL. In addition to her daughters Myra and Jimmy and her beloved sons in law, Don Smartt of Plano and Carl Westcott of Dallas, Bess is survived by five grandsons, Mike Smartt and his wife Stephanie, Mitchell Smartt of Dallas, Mac Smartt of Plano, Court Westcott and his wife Kameron, and Chart Westcott of Dallas, eight great grandchildren, two sisters, Mary Sneed of Gulfport, MS and Ruth Ratchford and husband Rand Humphreys of Pensacola, FL and one brother Robert and wife Grace McGuffee of Memphis, TN, extended family members, Carla Westcott of New York City and Gary Westcott of Austin and numerous nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to The Denison Forum on Truth and Culture, 17304 Preston Rd, Suite 1060, Dallas, TX 75252-5618; The Senior Adult Ministry, Park Cities Baptist Church, 3933 Northwest Parkway, Dallas, 75225; or The Building Fund, First Baptist Church, 1607 Cherry St., Vicksburg, MS 39180.

Viewing will be in Ellis Chapel, Park Cities Baptist Church, 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, August 16, 2011 followed by a service at 10:00 am conducted by Dr. Jack Martin. Burial will be 2:00 p.m. Wednesday August 17, 2011 in Green Lawn Memorial Park in Vicksburg.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Mike Smartt, Mitchell Smartt, Mac Smartt, Court Westcott and Chart Westcott, her nephews Joe McGuffee of Mendenhall, MS, John Sneed of Gulfport, Tim Sneed of Atlanta, Glenn Willams of Memphis, TN Doug Williams of Oxford, MS, Reid McGuffee of Memphis, Tommy Ratchford of Pensacola, FL, William Tucker, Fernandina Beach, FL, Dan Hinkel, Atlanta, GA and dear friends Wayne Betts, Robert Whitfield and Roland Kelly, PCBC.