Anna Coltharp Irwin

Anna Coltharp Irwin 64, Maryville, died Thursday at Blount Memorial Hospital after a brief fight with cancer. Irwin was born in Maryville and attended Hiwassee College. She graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1966 with a degree in journalism. She was first in her class in grade point average. Irwin went to work for The Daily Times in 1977 and excelled covering the crime and court beats. She loved watching the sunrise, walking along beaches, collecting seashells, watching NASCAR racing, fishing and gardening. She loved animals and had an assortment of cats, dogs and chickens. She and her husband of 44 years, Paul Irwin, have been married since Aug. 2, 1962. She was a member of Broadway Baptist Church in Maryville. She was preceded in death by her father, William Coltharp of Maryville and sister, Wilma Coltharp Segers of Atlanta, Ga. Other survivors include her son, Bill Irwin of Knoxville; daughter, Amanda "Mandy" Segers Blair of Maryville; mother, Margaret Coltharp of Maryville; sister, Mary and husband Larry Miller of Maryville; nephews, Paul Faircloth and James Faircloth; niece, Jean Cooper; several great- and grand-nieces and nephews; and several adopted children of the community. Funeral service will be at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 23, 2007, at Smith Mortuary, West Chapel with Rev. Ernie Dorries officiating. Interment will be at 1:00 p.m. Sunday, June 24, 2007, at Sherwood Memorial Gardens. A funeral procession will meet at noon at Smith Mortuary to proceed to Sherwood Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Blount Memorial Hospital Cancer Center, ATTN: Carmen Haun, 907 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN 37804; New Hope Children's Advocacy Center, 212 Cates St., Maryville TN 37801 or or Secret Safe Place for Newborns of Tennessee Inc., P.O. Box 4276, Maryville TN 37802-4276. Family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Saturday, June 23, 2007, Smith Mortuary, West Chapel, Maryville, 865-983-1000. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Anna Coltharp Irwin please visit our Sympathy Store.