COLUMBUS — A cheerful group of Columbus residents donning traditional Santa hats moved through Leigh Mall, Wednesday afternoon, handing out envelopes with small amounts of cash to unsuspecting children.
With smiles and a “Merry Christmas,” they”d move on to give money to the next child or elderly person, in the spirit of Christmas.
They weren”t playing Santa Claus; they were playing Happy.
For years, Happy Irby had made his way through the community around Christmas time, giving out money, gifts and holiday fruit baskets, provided by the Happy Irby Christmas Fund.
Since his death on his 94th birthday — March 27, 2009 — family and friends have carried on the tradition George “Happy” Oliver Irby began so many years ago, while working at the Columbus Air Force Base officers” club.
“He started by just taking his tips, putting it in a jar, and it just got so big …” Ruby Anderson recalled Wednesday. Anderson had worked with Happy Irby at the officers” club for many years, beginning in 1958.
“Happy and his wife (the late Sarah Irby) started the fund (in 1952) before I started working there,” said Anderson, at Leigh Mall, Wednesday.
This year, the first year without Happy at the helm, volunteers with the program distributed fruit baskets to 100 elderly and sick community members and presented gifts to more than 450 children.
Local schools recommend children who might need help with Christmas presents, Anderson noted.
Others have visited Happy”s son, George Hampton Irby at home, requesting gifts.
“So it was really more than 450. He never turns anybody down, so they still come,” said Pam McKinney, Happy”s daughter.
Christmas for everyone
“My father, one of the things he wanted to do was make sure everyone had the spirit of Christmas,” said Irby, who works as director of federal programs and building inspections for the city of Columbus.
“He loved Christmas,” McKinney said. “He even had a Santa Claus suit.”
In the early years of the Happy Irby Christmas Fund, Happy would don the suit when he went to deliver presents or fruit baskets.
The suit eventually would retire, but Happy kept delivering holiday cheer.
“I lived in Birmingham for years,” said McKinney, who often came home to Columbus for the holidays. “People would call, and daddy would say, ”Go shopping. Go get them something.””
McKinney has since moved back to Columbus and continues to be active in her father”s charity program.
“For his birthday, people would send $500 to $600, and he”d put it in the Christmas fund,” remembered Anderson.
“”Put it in the Happy fund. That”s Happy fund money,”” she added with a smile, imitating Happy.
”Carrying on his legacy”
For Anderson, continuing the tradition of the Happy Irby Christmas Fund means keeping a part of him alive.
“It would just thrill him to death to know we are carrying on his legacy,” she said. “I imagine he”s smiling right now.”
“I know that”s what he would want us to do,” said Linda Dodson, chief of sustainment services for CAFB. “We owe it to him. He had the biggest heart of anyone I”ve ever known.”
Dodson worked with Happy for 25 years.
By comparison, Leslie Watkins only knew Happy for a short time, but in those several months, he made a big impression.
“I was fortunate even that I got to know him just a little bit,” Watkins said. “Happy considered the Air Force part of his family. … I think he had a magical way of including us all into his family and the things he believed in.”
Her husband, CAFB Wing Commander Col. Roger Watkins, has been assigned to CAFB since June 2008. He used to have coffee with Happy on Wednesday and Friday mornings.
“I didn”t get to have coffee with him every Wednesday and Friday, but I just think he had a magic — such a wonderful spirit around him,” Leslie Watkins added.
Taking the reins
When Happy died, George Irby Jr. was “thrust into” his father”s philanthropy.
“Which was a good thing,” said Irby, who admits he wasn”t involved in shopping for gifts or delivering them until this year.
“The biggest thrill is passing out the fruit baskets (to seniors),” he said, with a smile. “They are so thankful. Their face lights up.”
And they remember his father simply as “Mr. Happy.”
“I get choked up when people say, ”Oh, that”s Mr. Happy”s fund,”” Irby said.
“He was so well-known (as Happy), when he would get checks he”d (endorse) them ”Happy,”” laughed McKinney. “I”d say, ”Daddy, people don”t sign checks that way,” and he”d say, ”I do.””
While most of the fund”s money is spent around the holidays, board members also consider worthy projects throughout the year. The Happy Irby Christmas Fund has been tapped into to help families who”ve lost their homes. The fund is managed entirely by volunteers, so 100 percent of donations go back into the community.
Honoring Mr. Happy
Happy began working at the CAFB officers” club in the early 1950s.
After retiring at age 80, Happy continued to work part time at the club. For those stationed there, Happy was one of the fond memories they took away from CAFB. A lounge at CAFB”s Columbus Club is named for Happy and bears his picture.
In 1999, state lawmakers passed a resolution honoring Happy”s work. Early this year, the Legislature passed a bill renaming the road leading to the main entrance of CAFB, George “Happy” Irby Parkway.
On March 28, 2010, the road, that connects Highway 45 North to CAFB, will be dedicated.
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