Ken Irwin, 84, formerly of Liverpool, died Monday.
Bro. Ken was a Sixty-year Member of Liverpool Syracuse Lodge No. 501, 32nd Degree, Scottish Rite, Shriner and Order of the Eastern Star.
Surviving Ken are his son, Jim and wife, Caryn Kogos-Irwin of Liverpool; a daughter, Julie Irwin Williams and her husband, John Williams of Virginia; dear sister, Eileen Easton and many beloved nieces, nephews and their children mostly residing in Toronto, Canada. His loving wife, Mabel Sword Irwin to whom he was married for over 60 years, predeceased him in 2005. His older sister, Marion Lennon, recently passed
away.
Ken was a terrific hockey player as well as a musician growing up in Toronto. He graduated from the University of Toronto before serving as an Officer in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II, stationed in Newfoundland, Canada. Ken and Mabel lived there the first years of married life. Post World War II, they traveled to the United States so that Ken could complete graduate school in Engineering at Ohio State University. Later, Ken took a management position at Carrier Corporation in Syracuse and the family then made their home in Liverpool, where they lived most of their lives.
They were lifelong members of the United Church of Christ, in Bayberry. He will be remembered for his feisty humor, kindness, and his love of sweets which in later years, was mostly related to chocolate. He always loved to laugh and enjoyed people’s company immensely. His one-liners were legendary. Easy to be around, he had many interests including golf, duplicate bridge, hockey, following sports and politics, which he had many informed opinions about. He was a fine father and an adoring husband all his years.
The Shriners, Masons and Eastern Star organizations were a vital part of both Ken and Mabel’s life where they took part in charitable and fundraising events for the Crippled Children’s Foundation and burn victims for more than six decades.
Calling hours will be Monday, June 11, 2007 from 9 to 9:45 a.m. in the United Church of Christ in Bayberry, 215 Blackberry Road.
A funeral service to follow at 10 a.m. Interment will be in White Chapel Memory Gardens, DeWitt. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston.