Robert (Bob) Lennox Irwine V passed away February 1, 2022, after his battle with several cancers and Alzheimer’s. Bob was born in Union, New Jersey on December 24, 1934, to his parents Robert & Billie Irwine. Bob attend Rutgers University where he participated in the Chi Psi fraternity and the freshman football team. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture in 1956. He married Josephine Ognibene (Jo) from Plainfield, New Jersey on November 17, 1956, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Plainfield, New Jersey. Bob served in the United States Army in the Signal Corp as a cryptographer from 1957 to 1959 which included a tour in Germany where their first son Robert Lennox Irwine (Bob, VI) was born. After discharge from regular duty remained in the reserves until 1963.
After his service to our country, his work career began with Celanese Chemical Company in New Jersey as a technical salesman. Living in New Jersey, they gave birth to their daughter, Cynthia Irwine (Cindy). His duties as a technical salesman also took him to California where Josephine gave birth to their last child, James Edward Irwine (Jim). Bob’s career flourished in California and Bob became the Vice President and General Manager of the industrials division of The Kelly Moore Paint Company. In 1974, Bob was recruited for the General Manager of the JMT Cement Company which was a division of the Edward C. Levy Company in Detroit Michigan. After several years, his General Manager duties shifted to Detroit Lime Company also a division of the Edward C. Levy Company selling lime to the Ford Motor Steel division. Bob attended night school and graduated in 1979 from the University of Michigan with a master’s degree in Management. In 1982 his career took him to the great state of Texas. Bob took a position as plant manager with White Mines in Uvalde, Texas where he was responsible for the natural asphalt quarry operations and the construction of a new processing plant. Years later the White family sold the company to Vulcan Materials Company resulting in a promotion to South Texas Operations Manager responsible for five quarries and four asphalt plants and they moved from Uvalde to San Antonio. While working for Vulcan Materials in San Antonio, Bob lost Josephine to cancer in 1994. Bob re-married on April 20, 1996, to Donna at Holy Trinity Church. Bob stayed at Vulcan Materials until his retirement.
Bob was a member of the Knights of Columbus attaining a fourth-degree status and severed as a Grand Knight and Faithful Navigator. He was an active member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Uvalde, and Holy Trinity Church in San Antonio. Bob was also an avid fly fisherman which began with childhood friend Howard Schwarz on streams throughout New Jersey. In retirement, Bob and Donna traveled in their Airstream trailer fly fishing across many states and on a variety of freshwater streams. Fly fishing took them to Alaska on several occasions to catch salmon as they traveled upstream to spawn. Bob was also a runner for many years of his life running until he was about 65 years of age. In retirement he had time to enjoy golf with his friends several days a week until he was about 80 years old. In his later days he enjoyed dominos, western books and movies often found watching the Grit television channel. Bob grew up as an old fashion father figure with a great deal of discipline but the journey with Jo through her cancer helped develop his expression of his love for his children, friends and others. He was known as a respected businessman with a great work ethic but later also as a loving and compassionate husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend.
Bob was proceeded in death by his sister Barbara Scheer (husband Jules Scheer) of Annandale New Jersey. Bob is survived by his second wife Donna; children Bob (wife Lisa), Cindy (husband John) and Jim (wife Janet); his stepdaughters, Caroline Johnson (husband Don) and Annie White (husband Don); grandchildren, Matt Irwine (wife Cara), Cassy Burris (husband Kenneth), Eva and Renee Irwine, Eric (wife Ashley), Colby and Alex Johnson, Stephanie and Lauren White; great grandchildren Adeline Irwine, Stella, Macy and Ruthie Burris, Holland Johnson and Caleb White He is also survived by lifelong friends Howard and Eva Schwarz, their two daughters Stephanie Morrison and Heide Kazmierski, and their respective families.
Rather than flowers, donations in honor of Bob may be made to one of the following charities: Donate | American Cancer Society Alzheimer’s Association | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia Help Donate to Trout Unlimited Today | Trout Unlimited Donation Site
After his service to our country, his work career began with Celanese Chemical Company in New Jersey as a technical salesman. Living in New Jersey, they gave birth to their daughter, Cynthia Irwine (Cindy). His duties as a technical salesman also took him to California where Josephine gave birth to their last child, James Edward Irwine (Jim). Bob’s career flourished in California and Bob became the Vice President and General Manager of the industrials division of The Kelly Moore Paint Company. In 1974, Bob was recruited for the General Manager of the JMT Cement Company which was a division of the Edward C. Levy Company in Detroit Michigan. After several years, his General Manager duties shifted to Detroit Lime Company also a division of the Edward C. Levy Company selling lime to the Ford Motor Steel division. Bob attended night school and graduated in 1979 from the University of Michigan with a master’s degree in Management. In 1982 his career took him to the great state of Texas. Bob took a position as plant manager with White Mines in Uvalde, Texas where he was responsible for the natural asphalt quarry operations and the construction of a new processing plant. Years later the White family sold the company to Vulcan Materials Company resulting in a promotion to South Texas Operations Manager responsible for five quarries and four asphalt plants and they moved from Uvalde to San Antonio. While working for Vulcan Materials in San Antonio, Bob lost Josephine to cancer in 1994. Bob re-married on April 20, 1996, to Donna at Holy Trinity Church. Bob stayed at Vulcan Materials until his retirement.
Bob was a member of the Knights of Columbus attaining a fourth-degree status and severed as a Grand Knight and Faithful Navigator. He was an active member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Uvalde, and Holy Trinity Church in San Antonio. Bob was also an avid fly fisherman which began with childhood friend Howard Schwarz on streams throughout New Jersey. In retirement, Bob and Donna traveled in their Airstream trailer fly fishing across many states and on a variety of freshwater streams. Fly fishing took them to Alaska on several occasions to catch salmon as they traveled upstream to spawn. Bob was also a runner for many years of his life running until he was about 65 years of age. In retirement he had time to enjoy golf with his friends several days a week until he was about 80 years old. In his later days he enjoyed dominos, western books and movies often found watching the Grit television channel. Bob grew up as an old fashion father figure with a great deal of discipline but the journey with Jo through her cancer helped develop his expression of his love for his children, friends and others. He was known as a respected businessman with a great work ethic but later also as a loving and compassionate husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend.
Bob was proceeded in death by his sister Barbara Scheer (husband Jules Scheer) of Annandale New Jersey. Bob is survived by his second wife Donna; children Bob (wife Lisa), Cindy (husband John) and Jim (wife Janet); his stepdaughters, Caroline Johnson (husband Don) and Annie White (husband Don); grandchildren, Matt Irwine (wife Cara), Cassy Burris (husband Kenneth), Eva and Renee Irwine, Eric (wife Ashley), Colby and Alex Johnson, Stephanie and Lauren White; great grandchildren Adeline Irwine, Stella, Macy and Ruthie Burris, Holland Johnson and Caleb White He is also survived by lifelong friends Howard and Eva Schwarz, their two daughters Stephanie Morrison and Heide Kazmierski, and their respective families.
Rather than flowers, donations in honor of Bob may be made to one of the following charities: Donate | American Cancer Society Alzheimer’s Association | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia Help Donate to Trout Unlimited Today | Trout Unlimited Donation Site
Published by Porter Loring Mortuary North on Feb. 10, 2022.
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