Pinkie Lee Irby was born on May 6, 1939, in Sebastopol, Mississippi, to the late Louis and Lula D. Irby (Ruffin). He departed this life on Wednesday, August 25, 2021. 

Pinkie leaves to cherish his loving wife Ola of fifty-five years; daughters, Ronda and Robbin Irby; son, Eric Irby; sisters, Lillie Mae Board and Ruthell (Michael) Stanford; granddaughters, Heavyn Rochelle Irby-Sanders, Chelsea Irby, Courtney Randle, Dayshia Stevenson, and Danielle Williams; grandsons, Braylon and Dallas Irby; great-grandson, Drayson Ervin; and great-granddaughter, Demi R. Williams; god-daughters, Donna K. Dowdell, Diana Prince, and Lakisha Spencer, and a host of loving relatives and friends.

Pinkie was preceded in death by his brothers, Hollis Irby, Floyd Irby, and Ollie Joe Irby; sister, Lillie Bell Redmond; his daughter, Roslyn R. Irby, and special friend, Cephas Calligan.