Obituary of Henry Gilbert Irwin

IRWIN, Henry Gilbert, Ph.D., passed away, aged 85, on Monday, January 31st, 2011, at Charlotte County Hospital after a brief illness. Born March 21st, 1925 in Chamcook, N.B. to the late George and Mary (Craig) Irwin of St. Andrews. Henry Irwin was among many other things; a friend, a golfer, a hockey champion, a plumber, a Mason, a politician, a father, a senior provincial civil servant, a Deputy Minister, a Legion member, the 1st General Manager of the New Brunswick Salmon Growers Association; but above all he was, is and always will be a tireless promoter of his beloved St. Andrews, Charlotte County and the province of New Brunswick. World War II was raging in Europe when he graduated from high school in St. Andrews, after playing on the NB Provincial Class M Championship hockey team, and he, like most boys his age, wanted to sign up and do his part. He enlisted in the RCAF and trained as a wireless air gunner. When the war ended he went to UNB but returned home to help his father, George, with the family plumbing and heating business. His sense of community got him involved in local politics and he was elected to the St. Andrews Town Council. His inherent leadership and way with people brought him some notoriety and he was soon approached and asked to run for higher political office and in l960 was elected to the New Brunswick Legislature as a part of the Liberal government of Louis J. Robichaud, for Charlotte and the Fundy Isles. He was appointed to Cabinet as the Minister of Education and working with the government and the department, Irwin initiated sweeping new legislation that dramatically altered the education system in New Brunswick. They created the Community College system, then known as Trade Schools and made access to it a regional approach across the province. The New Brunswick Teachers College was established which standardized the way teachers earned their credentials. They further solidified the base for UNB and supported the expansion of the Saint John Campus. In addition to that, discussions were initiated that later led to the establishment of the Université de Moncton. Henry Irwin was bestowed an Honourary Doctorate of Philosophy from UNB for his vision and leadership in the field of Education in New Brunswick. After his political career ended he returned to the family business for a while in his beloved St. Andrews, but shortly then entered the New Brunswick civil service with the Department of Municipal Affairs as Administrative Services Director. Shortly after that, he was asked to take on the role of Executive Director of the newly created New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization. His leadership and organizational skills and abilities were soon tested in the extreme as he led the provincial response to the Saint John River flood of 1973. He continued to work hard for the people of New Brunswick in the various roles he held within the civil service, all with the Department of Municipal Affairs and with EMO NB. His hard work, devotion and dedication was recognized in 1982 when Progressive Conservative Premier, Richard Hatfield, appointed Irwin to the position of Deputy Minister of Municipal Affairs, the post he held until his retirement in 1985. Almost immediately after leaving government, Henry was approached by several individuals from Charlotte County who were involved in the developing aquaculture industry and he accepted the challenge as the first General Manager of the New Brunswick Salmon Growers Association. Once he had assisted in getting that organization on its feet he took a consultant position with the Campobello Company, a U.S. based organization attempting to establish estate sized residential lots on a large undeveloped part of Campobello Island. Following that he worked in conjunction with Tritor Ltd., who were building new and expanding existing retail malls in Bathurst, Miramichi, Saint John, Moncton and Fredericton. New Brunswick entrepreneur Jim Ross, now Senator Jim Ross, brought Henry into his organization, Ross Ventures, and he worked on several development projects during his time there. His past performance as an honest and hardworking senior civil servant had not gone unnoticed and when the need arose for the 1991 Provincial Election, then Premier Frank McKenna asked Irwin to take on the role of Chief Electoral Officer for the province, a role he proudly accepted and professionally carried out. He was also proud to serve as Co-Chair, with Charlie McElman, on the New Brunswick Rural and Urban Land Use Commission, which studied the impact on municipalities of the outward migration to rural areas of urban dwellers. In 2000, Henry Irwin left Fredericton and finally retired to St. Andrews. Once there he became an enthusiastic and very active member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Passamaquoddy Branch #8. His affiliation with the Legion was a source of great pride in his Country and for all those who served and are serving the Armed Forces. Upon his return home, he was also asked to be a member of and proudly served on the Board of Directors of the Passamaquoddy Lodge, Senior Care Facility. During all this time, he enjoyed gardening, his friends, the wonderful game of golf, his association with the Fredericton Golf Club - serving a term as president there - and his cherished St. Andrews Algonquin Golf Course and all his golfing buddies. He was a proud member of the Maritime Senior Golfers Association and traveled to PEI, Nova Scotia and around New Brunswick to play in their events each year. This love for golf led to him spending many winters of his later life on Perdido Key in the area of Pensacola, Florida. At the Perdido Bay Sportsman’s Club, he made many, many more friends from across Canada and the United States as the snow birds would gather from November to April each year. He lived a life full of good friends, which means he led a good life to have been blessed to have so many others a part of it. Pre-deceased by his parents and second wife Joan (Douglas), he is survived by his loving wife of seven years, Kathleen(Katie) Irwin (Doucet- Howard); his first wife Madelyn lrwin(Meating) of St. Andrews; his son Jeffrey Irwin (Kim Crossland) and family of Fredericton; and his daughter Jane Irwin of St. Andrews. His step-daughter Lynn Veinot (Claude) and family of Fall River, N.S.; Kathlene’s daughter Lynn Brown(Charlie)and family of Red Deer, Alberta. His brother Lt. Cot (retired) George(Jack) Irwin(Florence) of Medicine Hat, Alberta; his nephew Brig. Gen.(retired) Steven Irwin(Deanne) and family of Orleans, Ontario. He is also survived by several half brothers and sisters; Mary Dowling and family of St. Andrews, Elizabeth lrwin-Kenyon(Gary) and family of St. Andrews; Cindy Noble and family of St. Stephen, NB; Noreen Savoie(Gerry) and family of Bathurst, NB; Stuart Irwin(Sandra) and family of Canterbury, NB; Tom lrwin(Sandy) of Moncton, NB; and Gail Ehrenreich of Trenton, Ontario. The past year or so for Henry, his wife Katie, and his son Jeffrey has been a series of trips to, and stays in, various hospitals and care facilities across southern New Brunswick. Katie especially has been the constant in Henry’s life, his guiding light, as he has struggled in recent months and her attentiveness deserves special thanks. The Irwin family would also like to express their most heart-felt gratitude and appreciation to the staff at Passamaquoddy Lodge, the doctors and staff at the Charlotte County Hospital and at the Cognitive Assessment Unit at St. Josephs Hospital in Saint John, for all their kindnesses and quality of care that truly soared above what is expected or required. We also wish to say thank you to all of Henry’s friends, former colleagues, associates and acquaintances for your kind expressions of support and caring. He led a full and productive life and we celebrate his 85 years of service to New Brunswickers. In lieu of flowers, donations to one of the following charities would be greatly appreciated: the Passamaquody Lodge, The Charlotte County Cancer Society, The Alzheimer’s Society, the Charlotte County Hospital, or a charity of your choice. On line condolences to the family or donations can be placed at www.humphresyfh.com Funeral services will be held on Saturday February 5th, 2011 at 2:00 pm at the Greenoch Presbyterian Church on Montague Street in St Andrews, NB A reception will immediately follow in the church hall next door. Arrangements have been entrusted to the care and direction of Humphreys Funeral Home, 20 Marks Street, St Stephen, NB (506 – 466 – 3110)