Arline Orr
Arline Erwin Orr, 90, of Tiptonville died Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, at Obion County Nursing Home in Union City.
She retired in December 2004 after several years with the TN Agricultural Extension Service. Prior to that she was the secretary to Shelby Barker, Lake County Executive. She had previously worked as the Secretary for Vaughn Lumber Company.
She was married to Jack Orr of Hornbeak. They celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary prior to his death in 2010.
Survivors include a son, Billy Wayne Orr and wife, Monica, of Union City; three grandchildren, Julie Davis of Union City, Hunter Orr and wife, Jenny, of Ormond Beach, Fla., and Hutch Esser and wife, Jill, of Forth Worth, Texas; and six great-grandchildren, Keenan Bowman, Carson Davis, Reese Esser, Brecken Esser, Jack Taylor Orr and Remington Orr.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Jack Orr; her parents, Wayne and Sannie Ruth Stover Erwin; and a sister, Elavon Burroughs.
She was a volunteer for the American Cancer Society, former member of the Lake County Historical Society, served on Lake County Primary Care Board and the Reelfoot Woman’s Club.
She loved Genealogy and traveled to Ireland with her son in 1999 to do research on her ancestors. She graduated Tiptonville High School salutatorian of her class and graduated Dyersburg State Community College. She and her son attended college at the same time.
She attended The Church of Christ in Tiptonville and then Jones Chapel Church of Christ. She was born in the Elbridge Community in Obion County. In 1944 she and her family moved to Phillipy. In later years she wrote a book about Phillippy entitled “A Loving Community Called Phillipy.”
Graveside services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday Sept. 28, 2025, at New Haven Cemetery in Ridgely, with Jeff Kenee of Exchange Street Church of Christ officiating. Dyersburg Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
Family and friends were asked to meet at the cemetery.
Pallbearers were Billy Wayne Orr, Hunter Orr, Bryan Avery, Craig Smith, Shelby Barker and Steve Smith.
The family requests that any memorials be directed to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Dyersburg Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Ms. Arline Orr. Online condolences can be made to the family at dyersburgfuneralhome.net.
The Messenger 9.29.25