Hazel Irby was born to Floyd and Finis (Reynolds) Rowden in Dallas, Texas, on June 27, 1923. She spent most of her childhood in Grand Saline, Texas. Her family returned to Dallas as Hazel entered her senior year of high school (Woodrow Wilson Class of 1940). Hazel met Jack Godwin Irby at St. John's Methodist Church. Their romance continued long distance as Jack served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. They were married on December 31, 1944, at White Rock Methodist Church. The first year of their marriage was spent in Laredo, Texas, as Jack finished his war service training Army Air Corpsmen. They then moved back to Dallas and began a family which includes sons, Keith and Dale, and daughter, Kimberly. The ensuing years were spent mostly in Dallas, where they were active members of St. John's United Methodist Church in East Dallas. Several lifelong friendships began in the Victory Class there. Until her death at 95, Hazel still attended meetings of her beloved St. John's S Mile Circle. Jack's career did take them to Overland Park, Kansas, from 1963 to 1965, where they made more lifelong friends. Another career move took them to New Orleans, Louisiana, from 1972 to 1982, where Hazel loved learning to cook Cajun food and studied art at Louisiana State University. She became an accomplished sculptor and a painter of both oils and watercolors. Her work was represented in a gallery on Royal Street in the French Quarter. Upon Jack's retirement in 1982 they moved to Garland, Texas, where they joined St. Philip's United Methodist Church. There ensued many happy times spent traveling with an RV group, entertaining family and friends at their lake house in East Texas, and watching their family grow. Hazel was predeceased by her oldest child, Keith, in 2007. She is survived by her loving husband of 74 years, Jack, and her children Dale (Cathy) Irby and Kimberly (Brian) Schirard. In addition she is survived by six grand children: Christopher and Ryan Irby, Matthew (Amy) Irby and Sara (Jason) Larkin, Josh (Holly) Schirard and Jacquelyn (Craig) Cason. Additionally she is survived by seven great-grandchildren: Samuel and Luke Irby, Hannah, Wesley and Cora Larkin, Ava Jean and Austin Jack Cason. Service for Hazel will be held at 10:00am on Saturday, November 24, 2018, in St. Philip's United Methodist Church, 3717 Broadway Blvd., Garland, Texas. It will be followed by a reception in the Irby home at 1402 Surrey Ct. in Garland.