Elizabeth Fishburne Irwin

Spartanburg, SC- Madeleine Elizabeth “Betty” Fishburne Irwin, 94, wife of the late Samuel Page Irwin, died Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at White Oak Estates. Born August 19, 1924 in Savanna, GA she was a daughter of the late William Paul Spigener, II and Rachel Colby Goodno Spigener. She was the adopted daughter of the late Dr. Skottowe Bellinger Fishburne and Marion Lee Green Fishburne of Columbia, SC. Betty grew up in Columbia. She was a member of Washington Street Methodist Church and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of South Carolina. Betty met her husband, Page, when she moved to Spartanburg to teach school, and they married in Columbia on December 28, 1946. She was a past member of the Junior League of Spartanburg, the Spartanburg Garden Club, the Modern Literature Book Club, the Ballet Guild of Spartanburg, the Cotillion, and the Debutante Club. Betty was a longtime member of The Episcopal Church of the Advent and served on the ECW Board and the Altar Guild, and in her younger years, sang in the choir. Betty is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth Irwin Carlisle and her husband, Howard Bobo Carlisle, IV, of Spartanburg, SC; three grandchildren, Howard Bobo Carlisle, V, of Spartanburg, SC, Samuel Colby Carlisle (Justine) of Tampa, FL, and Elizabeth Claire Carlisle Prchal (Taylor) of Albany, GA; three great grandchildren, Mosely Elizabeth Prchal, Marion Page Prchal, and Joseph Carlisle Prchal; sisters in-law, Anne Thomas Irwin of Spartanburg, SC and Ann Luce Fishburne of Columbia, SC; and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband of 58 years, Betty was predeceased by a son, Samuel Page Irwin, Jr.; her stepmother, Bernice Fishburne; her four sisters, Olive deLaunay Stiver, Lucille Reynolds, Adelaide Ellis, and Rachel Dabney; and three brothers, William Paul Spigener, Charles Watson, and Dr. Skottowe Bellinger Fishburne, Jr. A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, January 19th, 3:00PM at The Episcopal Church of the Advent with The Reverend J. Edward Morris and The Reverend Paula R. Griffin officiating. Committal will follow in the church cemetery. A reception will be held in the Parish and Community Life Center. The family would like to express their sincere gratitude and love to the entire staff of White Oak Estates and Spartanburg Regional Hospice for their professionalism and compassion while caring for Betty. The family will be at the home of Elizabeth and Kim Carlisle. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Episcopal Church of the Advent Foundation, 141 Advent Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302.