Iris P. Emery, age 86, passed away peacefully after a long battle with lymphoma on Saturday, September 12, 2020. She was born July 30, 1934 in Atlanta, Georgia, the daughter of Roy Francis and Carole Williams Emery.
Iris was married to William (Bill) R. Emery for 47 years, until his death in January 2011. Due to Bill’s career as a proud Marine, Iris lived in 50+ different houses in many different countries, states, and cities. She would tell her friends that when it was time to clean house they would move. While living in Jackson, Tennessee, Iris was a member of First Baptist Church where she helped teach a ladies’ class and volunteered in a mentoring program for students at Union University. Iris moved to Kirby Pines LifeCare Community in Memphis, TN in 2014. Keeping with her established pattern of moving often, she lived in several different apartments during her six years in this community she dearly loved. Iris was an active member of several groups at Kirby Pines: The Ham-ateurs, The Book Baggers, Thursday Bible Study, Travel Club, Mahjong Group, and Girls’ Night Out. In addition to these groups, Iris could always find time to volunteer many hours working in the library and assisting anyone who needed help in any way. Iris was loved by more people than could be counted. She made a positive impact on all who were blessed to cross her path. She will be remembered with fondness and missed in so many ways!
She is survived by her children, John N. (Lilibeth B.) Emery and Lisa C. Hanna, both of Memphis, TN; granddaughters, Sarah E. Hanna and Sadie E. Hanna of Jackson, TN; brother, Charles Huggins (Joyce) of Dalton, Georgia; sister, Marie York of Signal Mountain, TN; sister-in-law, Susan Stone of Aix-en-Provence, France; nieces, Julie York of Gardiner, Montana, and Sheri Kendall of Dalton, Georgia; nephew, Jeff York of Harrison, TN; and great nephew Chandler Rickett of Dalton, Georgia.
SERVICES: Funeral services will be held Thursday, September 17 in the chapel of Arrington Funeral Directors, Jackson, TN. Visitation with the family will be from 12:30 until service time at 2:00 pm. Burial will follow at Ridgecrest Cemetery. The service will be webcast live via Arrington Funeral Directors website.
The family is requesting memorial contributions be directed to Lymphoma Research Foundation, Wall Street Plaza, 88 Pine Street, Suite 4200, New York, NY 10005,
development@lymphoma.org
.
We ask that social distancing and facial coverings be observed.
Arrington Funeral Directors, 148 W. University Parkway, Jackson, TN, 39305 731.668.1111
www.arringtonfuneralgroup.com