Wanda Karnes Irwin

Wanda Karnes Irwin, 87, of Springdale, Ark., passed away Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, at Earlene Howard Hospice Home in Springdale. She was born Feb. 24, 1930, in Cane Hill, Ark., the daughter of Stirman and Gladys D. (Curtis) Karnes.

She was a current member of the First United Methodist Church in Springdale. She had previously been a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Springdale from 1960-1977 and Cane Hill Presbyterian Church from her childhood to 1960.

She married James Clark Irwin on Dec. 26, 1949. She graduated with her Bachelor’s of Business Education in 1951 from the University of Arkansas. She taught for a few years in the Prairie Grove School District before moving to Springdale with James who went to work for Tyson Foods.

She and her husband, James, loved sports and seldom, if ever, missed a game their sons Jim and Clark were playing. They were especially proud when Jim and Clark played for the Arkansas Razorbacks, and have been big supporters of the Razorback Foundation for many years.

She was a wonderful homemaker and loved having friends over for watching ballgames, playing bridge, and entertaining. Her bridge club and “lunch bunch” of many decades knew her to be an avid bridge player who sometimes helped teach others to play.

She loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren very much and just recently spent time with all of them. She and James traveled nationally and internationally in their younger years and She was so glad to have had that opportunity with him.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, James Clark Irwin; two brothers, Curtis Karnes and Warren Karnes; and two sisters, Marguerite Deaton and Merril Brown.

She is survived by her three children, James Stirman Irwin and wife Judy Showalter Irwin of Little Rock, Ark., Charles Clark Irwin and wife Georgi Spillman Irwin of Springdale and Paula Kay Irwin also of Springdale; her six grandchildren, Jill Irwin Penick and husband Dr. Edward Moore Penick III, James Clark Irwin II and wife Megan Allen Irwin, Carrie Irwin Farrell and husband Joshua Scott Farrell and Lauren Irwin Iler and husband Blaine William Iler, Hannah Kay Herdlinger and Hailey Ann Herdlinger; her eight great-grandchildren, Edward Moore Penick IV, Worthen Clark Penick, Catherine Irwin Penick, James Clark Irwin III, John Cole Irwin, Crew James Farrell, Kate Parker Farrell, and Brooklyn Elise Iler; and one sister, Allean Moore of Oklahoma City, Okla.

Family graveside service was 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1, 2017, at Cane Hill Cemetery with Andrew Thompson officiating.

Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church in Springdale, Cane Hill Presbyterian Church or the Cane Hill Cemetery.

Online guest book, www. luginbuel.com.

Luginbuel Funeral Home of Prairie Grove was in charge of arrangements.

Irwin