Obituary for Marcella Marie Gottwald Irby
(February 21, 1930 ~ July 12, 2014)

Marcella Marie Gottwald Irby was born on February 21, 1930 to Joseph and Angela Gottwald. She died Saturday, July 12, 2014 with her family by her side.
Along with seven brothers and four sisters, Marcella was raised on a farm in the rural community of Lake Henry, Minnesota, which was comprised predominately of descendants of German immigrants. Marcella's first language was German, and it wasn't until attending the one-room schoolhouse in Lake Henry that she learned to speak English.
Upon graduating from the St. Cloud School of Cosmetology in St. Cloud, Minnesota in 1951, Marcella owned and operated her own beauty salon in Woonsocket, South Dakota. While vacationing with friends one summer on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Marcella met her future husband, Paul Irby, who was home on leave from the U.S. Navy. Marcella and Paul were married in 1958 and lived in several different locations until he retired from the military and they settled with their two daughters in Gulfport, Mississippi. Marcella and Paul resided in the house they purchased in 1969 until Hurricane Katrina took it away in August 2005. At that time, Marcella and Paul moved inland to Saucier, Mississippi.
Marcella enjoyed working crossword puzzles, reading nonfiction, playing Scrabble, and watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. To the delight of her family, she made the best coconut cookies and chicken and dumplings in the world.
Marcella was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph Gottwald and Angela Weidner Gottwald; her brothers Gregor Gottwald, Herbert Gottwald, Albert (Rita) Gottwald, Vincent (Veronica) Gottwald, Joseph "Jim" (Margaret) Gottwald, and her sisters Marie "Toots" Gottwald, Ursula (John) Schramel, and Eleanor Gottwald Maus. She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Paul Irby; daughters Teresa Irby of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Lisa Bernard of Perkinston, Mississippi; and dear family friend Adele Moore of Baton Rouge. She is also survived by her siblings Phillip (Margot, d.) Gottwald of Minnesota, Leo (Ruby) Gottwald of Montana, and Elizabeth (Huburt) Clement of South Dakota, along with many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to be sent to either St. John the Evangelist Church in Gulfport, Mississippi or St. Ann's Catholic Church in Lizana, Mississippi. The family extends special gratitude to Sr. Mary Kealy and Fr. Jacob Matthew, who provided much comfort and support to Marcella during her illness.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 15, 2014 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Gulfport, where friends may visit from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Pallbearers will be Alvin Bernard, Jr., Michael Seicshnaydre, M.D., Jacob Seicshnaydre, Luke Seicshnaydre, Christopher Moore and Jay Sadler. Mass readings will be by Eileen Perez. Burial will follow at the National Cemetery in Biloxi.
Riemann Family Funeral Home, Gulfport served the family.