Hartley, Irby Ennis, Jr.

Irby Hartley

Irby Ennis Hartley, Jr., of Chattanooga, was welcomed into the House of the Lord on February 22, 2020, at the age of 93.

 Irby’s devoted wife of 72 years, Sara Castellow Hartley, died just a few weeks earlier on January 28.  Sara’s undying love of Irby, through the Lord’s Graces, called Irby to be reunited with her.  They are both now at peace.

Irby was born on Aug. 2, 1926 in Montgomery, where he was raised as the third of four children (two older and one younger sister) in the home of Irby, Sr. and Dove Hartley.  Irby completed his high school education at what is now Lyman Ward Military Institute, and thereafter at the age of 17 enlisted in the U.S. Navy as an aviation ordnance man during World War II.  Following honorable discharge from the Navy, Irby married Sara in 1947.  He graduated with distinction from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering.  Immediately upon graduation, Irby was employed by DuPont at its Orange, Texas facility and then transferred to Chattanooga where after 39 years with DuPont he retired as a Senior Research Engineer.  Several patents were awarded to DuPont based upon Irby’s creative ingenuity in mechanical engineering. 

Upon arriving in Chattanooga in 1952, Irby and Sara became part of the founding supporters of St. Luke United Methodist Church.  Irby loved music, and sang in the Church’s choir for over five decades. 

Irby was extremely active in athletics in Chattanooga, participating in many softball leagues and assisting in the formation of the Chattanooga Swim League as an early coach of the Stuart Heights Swim Team and later an AAU referee.   He was also an avid golfing member of the former Rivermont and current Valleybrook Golf Clubs, and well as being active in tennis at the Hixson Racket Club.  Irby loved scuba diving, and participated in many diving trips to the Caribbean.

Community activities were a constant part of the lives of Irby and Sara.  He was president of the Stuart Heights Swim Club for many of its early years.  Irby volunteered at the Tennessee Aquarium as a scuba diver in the shark tank beginning in 1993, with Sara being a docent at the Aquarium.  They both also volunteered at the Chattanooga Food Bank, Riverbend Festivals, the Hamilton County Professional Golf Classics, Habitat for Humanity, and Salvation Army.  Both of them also volunteered as mentors and readers at Rivermont Elementary School.  Irby also served as a former president of the Valleybrook Homeowners Association and Investment Clubs. 

In addition to his wife Sara, Irby was preceded in the death by his parents in Montgomery and two of his sisters, Ennis Hartley Harris of Pensacola, Florida, and Janelle Hartley Berry of Gulf Breeze, Florida.  Irby is survived by his son Carl Hartley (Jan), and daughter Anne Hartley Davis (Louis) of Chattanooga, and sister Catherine (Tag) Hogue of Dothan, Alabama.  In addition, Irby was proclaimed as the ‘Best Grandfather Ever’ by his grandchildren Laura Hartley, Katie Hartley, Dr. Bryan Hartley (Stephanie), Sara Ann Davis and Hartley Davis, as well as by his great-granddaughter Lily Hartley.  Irby is also survived by a large number of nieces and nephews. 

Once again special thanks to the incredibly kind and attentive professional staff at the Dominion Senior Living facility in Hixson for their constant caring for Irby in particular during these last several months, and to Rhonda Yeargan for her constant devotion as a caregiver to Irby.  His family also extends sincere thanks to Hearth Hospice for their invaluable service caring for Irby. 

A private family burial will occur at Hamilton Memorial Gardens.  Visitation with the family will occur on Saturday, Feb. 29, from 2-3:45 p.m. at St. Luke United Methodist Church, followed by a memorial service at the church.

 In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to St. Luke United Methodist Church (3210 Social Circle, Chattanooga, TN 37415) or to a favorite charity.