Susie Irene Elizabeth Carr was born on December 19,1936, in Assurance, West Virginia, or Buzzard Run, to Homer and Pearl Lane Carr. She didn’t use “Susie”, her grandmother had that name and she gave the “Elizabeth” to her daughter. So, most of her life she was Irene Carr Broyles. Irene was the third of ten children – Cleo, Howard, Irene, HW, Richard, Ethel, Willis, David, Iris and Becky. And two half siblings Linda and Roger that she was proud to call her brother and sister. As a storyteller, she shared the many adventures of life with her brothers and sisters. She always said even though they were poor they always had plenty to eat, enjoyed life and took care of one another.
She married Tommy Broyles of Ballard, WV, “Dry Pond” on May 25,1957, and they moved from “back home” to Salem, VA. Irene worked full time and frequently shared stories of the friends she made at work at Old Dominion Candy, Shentool and Dominion Air and Machinery.
In the late 70s Tom and Irene partnered with Harold and Christine Maxey purchasing property in Craig County to raise beef cattle. They commuted a number of years before eventually purchasing a home in New Castle. After Tommy died in 2010, Irene continued to live on her own in the country until 2020 when health issues made it necessary for her to move to Boones Mill and live with Elizabeth and Steve. Irene loved children especially babies. She and Tommy had two children, Elizabeth and John. She was absolutely thrilled when John and Patty gave her grandchildren, Valerie and Ben. And although she liked dogs and horses, she was pleased when Elizabeth and Keith finally gave her grandsons, Lincoln and Pierce. And there could not have been a prouder great grandmother of Valerie and Eddie’s children Ethan, Jadelyn, Kaylee, Madison and Paisley.
Irene was kind hearted, generous, funny, creative, a hard worker and a terrific storyteller. She enjoyed being involved in other people’s happiness whether it was Ben and Thomas getting married or Pierce buying a house or John and Phyllis planting a garden. She left this world Monday, March 31, 2025. May her spirit be found in the many things she loved – bird watching, wildflowers, swimming, antiquing, gardening, sewing, cooking and sitting on the front porch in her rocker with a cup of coffee and her dog Lucky.
A Memorial Service will be held 2:00 PM Saturday, May 3, 2025, at Paitsel Funeral Home. The family will receive friends 1-2 PM before the service. Interment will follow at Huffman Memorial Park.
