About Us

Recent Obituaries

History & Staff

We have years of experience caring for families, from all walks of life. Each family comes to us because they know we are leaders in our profession, dedicated to excellence in service, and have the highest integrity.

Our History

Our heritage began over 100 years ago when Irby Funeral Home was established in 1916, by Mr. W. H. Irby. Mr. Irby was also one of the original founders of Russell- Irby Burial Association. Carrying on the family tradition, Mr. Irby's daughter ( the late Frances McBride) and her husband, the late Dan McBride later joined Mr. Irby in the funeral business. In the early 1980's, Madden Enterprises bought the funeral home and in the summer of 2016, Billy Curl purchased the business from the Madden family.

 In the spring of 1996 Irby Funeral Home of Marmaduke was built to better serve our Marmaduke families. This location was recently remodeled and a new paved parking lot was added to better accommodate those attending services. Office hours are Monday thru Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to answer any question you may have. Piggott Mortuary was opened in 1984 by Sheldon Madden. The name was then changed in the early 2000's to Irby Funeral Home of Piggott upon the death of Mr. Madden. In March of 2017, remodeling began on the facility and was completed in February of 2018. Every portion of the building was remodeled, including a state of the art care center, spacious chapel with seating for 200 guests, covered family parking and a new parking lot. We are rededicating ourselves to the Piggott community and our name now reflects that- "Piggott Mortuary". Our new office hours are Monday thru Friday, 8:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m and would love for you to stop by for a tour of our elegant facility. In the early days of the funeral home, a person could pay for their burial insurance premiums with chickens, eggs, vegetables, and other things of value. While that is no longer the custom, our funeral home continues to believe in fair prices. Our long-standing tradition has been to provide the finest facilities and service at a reasonable price. We know the importance of helping each family plan the funeral they want, within their won budget. Having the very best does not have to cost the most.Today, Irby Funeral Homes and Piggott Mortuary is large enough to give our families the same services as the largest funeral homes around, yet we are small enough that each family receives the level of attention and care they want and deserve. We are proud that our staff has deep roots in Clay and Greene counties. They take pride to provide you with a reputation of trust and a promise of professional service presented in a caring manner. Our staff dedicates themselves to making each service a special time of remembrance to your loved one, honoring them and celebrating their life. We are continuing the proud legacy that started over 100 years ago.  


Our Valued Staff

Billy R. Curl

Billy R. Curl, Owner/ Funeral Director

Billy purchased Irby Funeral Home in the summer of 2016. He is a retired Army helicopter pilot serving 22 years in the military. He is a 1991 graduate of Northwest Community College, School of Mortuary Science where he received his Associates degree and is a licensed funeral director in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee. We are proud to have Billy as a part of our family.


Andrew C. Cavaness

Andrew C. Cavaness, General Manager/ Licensed Embalmer/ Funeral Director

Andrew came to Irby Funeral Home in the summer of 2009. He now serves the firm as our General Manager/Embalmer/Funeral Director. He attended Mortuary School at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro where he graduated in May of 2014. He and his family are from Rector.


Cheri D. Speer

Cheri D. Speer, Funeral Director

Cheri came to Irby Funeral Home after working as secretary at Rector Elementary School. Cheri has over 10 years experience as a Funeral Director and enjoys serving the community in that capacity . She and her family are all from Rector.


Logan Buck

Logan Buck, Funeral Assistant

Logan has been a resident of Rector his entire life. After graduating from Rector High School in 2009, he went on to Crowley’s Ridge College and received an Associate’s Degree. Logan has been with Irby-Mitchell Funeral Home since February of 2019. In his spare time, he enjoys being with family and friends, hunting, fishing, and woodworking. He believes its his job to help comfort and do anything and everything to make it easier for families that come into our funeral home.


Mandy Smith

Mandy Smith, Office Associate