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Robert Cannon Irby, Jr. of Pawleys Island, SC passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday, July 16, 2015. He was 79 years old. Robert, "Bob" or "Bobby" to those who knew him, was born August 10th, 1935 in Richmond, Va. and was the oldest son of the late Robert Cannon "Booten" Irby Sr. and Elizabeth Mayland "Bully" Booker Irby of Blackstone, VA. Irby was a native of Blackstone and a 1952 graduate of Blackstone High School and a class of 1956 graduate of Virginia Military Institute where he was a Company Commander and a member of Kappa Alpha. Upon graduation from VMI, Irby began his long successful career with E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company and married Sara Duncan Weisiger of Earls, Va. in December 1957. He served two years in the US Army at Fort Hood, TX from 1957-59 before returning to his Du Pont position in Kinston, NC at their Textile Fibers Plant. He held a number of manufacturing management positions at that location before transferring briefly to Monterrey Mexico in 1965, where he was instrumental in getting a new plant subsidiary up and running. He was then brought back to Kinston until 1969 when he was transferred to the Du Pont home office in Wilmington, Delaware. In 1971, he returned to his home state where he was Personnel Superintendent at the Martinsville, Virginia Nylon plant until 1974 when he was appointed Personnel Manager for the company's Textile Fibers Department in Wilmington. After an assignment as Personnel Manager for the Central Research and Development Department, he accepted an international assignment in Geneva Switzerland as Director of Employee Relations for all European operations. After returning to the U.S. in 1984, he served as Director of Human Resources for the Petrochemicals, Polymer Products, and Fibers Departments. Mr. Irby retired in 1990, after nearly 35 years of service. Following retirement, Bob and his wife Sara made their home in Pawleys Island, SC, a longtime dream of theirs. While in retirement, Bob was an avid golfer and fisherman and enjoyed hosting family and friends at "the beach". He also made numerous contributions to the local community where he served as the club president for Pawleys Plantation Golf and Country Club, was Chairman of the POA at Pawleys Plantation, and a member of the Pawleys Island Civic Association. Mr. Irby is survived by his loving family, wife of almost 58 years, Sara W. Irby, sons Robert Cannon Irby III and wife Joan Broomell Irby of Richmond, Va., Stuart Duncan Irby and wife Lynn Woodward Irby of Salem, Va., Bruce Watson Irby and wife Frieda Adams Irby of Burlington, NC. Mr. Irby is also survived by grandchildren from Robert C. III, (Melissa Ann Irby, Jenna Rolfe Irby McCord and Virginia Randolph Irby), From Stuart (Lindsey Woodward Irby and Barbara Katherine Irby), From Bruce (Brett Watson Irby and step daughters Pamala Riley Thaxton and Tamara Michelle Riley). He had one great grandson from Jenna (Lucas Cannon McCord). He is also survived by his brother William Irby and his wife Linda. An informal reception for family and friends of the Irby family will be held at the Pawleys Island Goldfinch Chapel on Sunday July 19, 2015 from 6:00 until 8:00 PM. The interment will be a private family affair. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation in Bob's name to Wounded Warriors: https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/default.aspx?tsid=72 Goldfinch Funeral Home, Litchfield Pawleys Chapel is handling arrangements.

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Robert Irby

August 10, 1935 - July 16, 2015