DALLAS — Bess Irwin, lovingly known as Goody by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, joyfully left these earthly constraints on Aug. 13, 2011. She was born in 1915 in New Hebron, Miss., the eldest daughter of Myra and J.C. McGuffee. She married the love of her life, J.E. Irwin, in 1936, and they lived in New Orleans, Jackson and Vicksburg before his death in 1974.

In 1988, Bess joined her daughters, Myra Smartt and Jimmy Westcott, and their families in Dallas. She had been an active member of Park Cities Baptist Church, working as a volunteer in the Clothes Closet, Harrod Mission and the library at Dallas Baptist University, where she received the Ruth Award in 2001.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her older brother Earl and his wife, Ruby McGuffee, all of New Hebron; her brothers-in-law, Torrence Sneed of Gulfport and Fred Ratchford of Pensacola, Fla.

In addition to her daughters, Myra and Jimmy, and her beloved sons-in-law, Don Smartt of Plano and Carl Westcott of Dallas, Bess is survived by five grandsons, Mike Smartt and his wife, Stephanie, Mitchell Smartt of Dallas, Mac Smartt of Plano, Court Westcott and his wife, Kameron, and Chart Westcott of Dallas; eight great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mary Sneed of Gulfport and Ruth Ratchford and husband Rand Humphreys of Pensacola; one brother, Robert, and wife Grace McGuffee of Memphis; extended family members, Carla Westcott of New York City and Gary Westcott of Austin; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Viewing was at Ellis Chapel, Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, at 9 a.m. today, followed by a service at 10 a.m. conducted by Dr. Jack Martin. Burial will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2011, at Greenlawn Gardens Cemetery in Vicksburg.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Mike Smartt, Mitchell Smartt, Mac Smartt, Court Westcott and Chart Westcott; her nephews, Joe McGuffee of Mendenhall, John Sneed of Gulfport, Tim Sneed of Atlanta, Glenn Williams of Memphis, Doug Williams of Oxford, Reid McGuffee of Memphis, Tommy Ratchford of Pensacola, William Tucker of Fernandina Beach, Fla., and Dan Hinkel of Atlanta; and dear friends, Wayne Betts, Robert Whitfield and Roland Kelly, PCBC.

Memorials may be made to The Denison Forum on Truth and Culture, 17304 Preston Road, Suite 1060, Dallas, TX 75252-5618; the Senior Adult Ministry, Park Cities Baptist Church, 3933 Northwest Parkway, Dallas, 75225; or the Building Fund, First Baptist Church, 1607 Cherry St., Vicksburg, MS 39180.