Posted 8:22 pm Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Tyler Loses Outstanding Citizens Irby, Prud'homme
Tyler lost two leading lights in recent days. Aubrey Irby died Thursday at the age of 86; Mary Prud'homme died Sunday, July 5, at the age of 71. Both put their community and public service above themselves, and their lives were enriched by this.
Aubrey Earl Irby Sr.
Aubrey Earl Irby Sr. came to Tyler in 1948, after serving in the U.S. Army in World War II. He and his wife, Margaret, raised three children in Tyler.
In his professional life, Irby worked for Story Wright for a time, then became a dealer of copy machines for the Eastman Kodak company. He and his partner then bought the local Muzak franchise, and parlayed that into both an FM and an AM radio stations. His friends note Irby helped to bring country-western radio to East Texas.
But it was his volunteer efforts he'll be remembered for. He was drawn to the Kiwanis club, he once said, because of its commitment to helping children.
Irby was installed as president of Kiwanis International during its International Conference in Vienna, Austria, in June 1983. At the time, Kiwanis had 300,000 members in 76 countries.
His more local accomplishments were no less impressive.
He brought the Miss Texas pageant to Tyler, for example. He served president of the Kiwanis Club of Tyler, the YMCA, the Tyler Smith County United Way, the East Texas Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America and the East Texas Lighthouse for the Blind. He was general chairman for the annual United Way campaign, the Boy Scouts membership campaign, the YMCA Drive, the Texas Baptist for Scouting, the Young Life Finance campaign and the former Retarded Children's campaign.
He served on the board of directors of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, the Texas United Way, the East Texas Hospital Foundation, the Smith County Heart Association, the Smith County Red Cross, the East Texas Fair Association, East Texas Baptist University, South Central Region of Boy Scouts of America and others.
The list goes on -- but it's more than a litany of offices. Each is a medal of honor, signifying not only Aubrey Irby's commitment to his community, but also his community's regard and trust in him.
The list goes on -- but it's more than a litany of offices. Each is a medal of honor, signifying not only Aubrey Irby's commitment to his community, but also his community's regard and trust in him.
Mary Prud'homme
She'll be remembered for her work with the East Texas State Fair, and the Girl Scouts. But those who knew Mary Prud'homme says she was the quintessential "sports mom."
Noted Tyler Paper Sports Editor Phil Hicks, "She represents the sports moms out there who sit through countless games for the love of their children and the sport."
Her husband, Dr. Joseph Prud'homme, played basketball at Tyler Junior College under legendary Coach Floyd Wagstaff. Her children -- Carol, Sharon, Joey, Steven and Sheila -- were all very active at T.K. Gorman High School. Joey was a standout football player for the Crusaders, while Steven was a star basketball player. They both later became coaches.
Mrs. Prud'homme served for more than 20 years on the executive committee of the East Texas State Fair -- and as president for more than 10 of those years.
She began her involvement in 1976, when her family started showing cattle.
"The fair has just been a part of our lives ever since," she said in 2004.
She pioneered many of the programs and exhibits, and she was instrumental in establishing the Long Range Planning Committee, which began the search and the fundraising effort for larger fairgrounds.
Alice Emmons, who served as fair manager for many years, said Mrs. Prud'homme loved "working with people to produce the best product to showcase the talents of our youth and adults in the area."
In addition to her work with the fair, she also served on the Tyler Catholic School Foundation for 20 years, with Girl Scouts USA, the American Heart Association Board, Tyler YMCA, Trinity Mother Frances Foundation Board and the Smith County Medical Alliance.
During the funeral mass last week at The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Monsignor Joseph Strickland summed it up nicely. He said, simply, Mrs. Prud'homme "got it."
