Irma was born on September 8, 1929, in McLean, Texas, to Pete and Minnie Fulbright. She had an older brother, Ercy Glenn, now deceased. As a child, Irma developed a love of music that she nurtured for her whole life. She sang and played the piano, and she played trombone in the high school marching band.
She graduated from Abilene Christian University in 1950 with a degree in music education, and she earned a master's degree from North Texas State University. Her first teaching job was in Imperial, Texas. She then taught in Seminole, Texas, where she met a young mathematics teacher, Cass Archer. They were married on July 25, 1953, and later moved to San Angelo, where he taught at what was then San Angelo Junior College. In addition to caring for their three children, she taught piano and voice privately.
Irma later taught music in the San Angelo public schools for many years, at Bowie Elementary for most of that time. She made her classes engaging but also made sure that her students learned the fundamentals of music. In addition to her teaching, she helped write curriculum for the San Angelo school district.
She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, an organization that promotes the professional growth of women educators, and served a term as president of the local chapter. She was also active in the Texas Music Educators Association.
After she retired, she used her passion for education in Bible classes at Johnson Street Church of Christ, helping to develop the Footprints of the Faithful Bible program for elementary students. She wrote curriculum and songs for the lessons in addition to teaching and helping to train teachers.
Irma moved to Abilene in 2015 to be closer to family. She was preceded in death by her husband, Cass, in 2011. She is survived by her children Laura (Archer) and Cris Wells, Deborah (Archer) and Andrew Pratt, and Tim and Carolina Archer; and grandchildren Aaron and Cecilia Wells and their daughter Addison Wells, Michael and Hannah Wells, Philip Wells, Ben Pratt, Lauren (Pratt) and Jonathan Morgan, Daniel and Julie Archer, and Andrea Archer; and her good friend and health aide Svjetlana Vuksic.
The family would like to thank the staff of Chisholm Place Assisted Living and the staff of Interim Healthcare Hospice.
Memorial donations can be made to Herald of Truth Ministries or Interim Healthcare Hospice.
Services will be Friday at 10 a.m. at Johnson's Funeral Home in San Angelo, with visitation from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Interment will follow at Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens in San Angelo.
A memorial service will be held in Abilene on Saturday at 10 a.m. in the Ministry Activity Center of the University Church of Christ.
