IRWIN, ROBERT SIMPSON “BOB” PASSED AWAY AT VULCAN EXTENDICARE ON JUNE 18, 1994 AT THE AGE OF 93 YEARS.
BOB WAS BORN JANUARY 14, 1901 AT SEA ISLAND, B.C. HE CAME WITH HIS FAMILY TO NANTON IN 1908. HIS FATHER PURCHASED LAND EAST OF THE LITTLE BOW RIVER ON TOP OF THE HILL, WHICH WAS LATER SOLD AND CROWN LAND WAS PURCHASED IN 1911 CLOSER TO THE RICHMOND HILL SCHOOL WHICH BOB ATTENDED.
BOB BEGAN FARMING IN 1921 AND WHILE HE WAS SERVING AS SECRETARY FOR THE RICHMOND HILL SCHOOL DISTRICT HE MET VIOLA SAUNDERS, WHO CAME TO TEACH IN SEPTEMBER 1925 AT RICHMOND HILL SCHOOL. THEY WERE MARRIED JULY 7, 1927. HE CONTINUED TO FARM UNTIL MOVING TO VULCAN EXTENDICARE IN 1984.
BOB TOOK OVER FROM HIS FATHER THE POSITION OF SECRETARY OF THE SCHOOL IN 1921. HE WAS SCHOOL TRUSTEE FROM 1922 TO 1938 WHEN THE FOOTHILLS SCHOOL DIVISION TOOK OVER. IN 1927 HE WAS ELECTED AS COUNCILLOR FOR THE MUNICIPAL DISTRICT OF ROYAL WERE HE SERVED SIX YEARS.
IN 1955 BOB WAS ELECTED AS COUNCILLOR OF DIVISION 4 OF THE COUNTY OF VULCAN WHICH HE HELD FOR NINETEEN YEARS, WHERE HE SERVED ON THE BLACKIE SEED CLEANING PLANT AND VULCAN GENERAL HOSPITAL BOARDS. DURING THE EARLY YEARS OF TELEPHONE, BOB SERVED AS SECRETARY OF THE PIONEER MUTUAL TELEPHONE CO. UNTIL IT WAS TAKEN OVER BY AGT.
AT THE OUTBREAK OF WORLD WAR II, HE JOINED THE CALGARY HIGHLANDERS MILITIA UNIT IN VULCAN AND WAS VERY ACTIVE IN THIS FIELD UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT IN 1962 AS STAFF SERGEANT OF TECHNICAL STORES. WHILE IN THE MILITIA, HE WAS IN CHARGE OF THE RIFLE RANGE AND AS A MEMBER OF THE ALBERTA RIFLE ASSOCIATION HE QUALIFIED FOR AN EXPENSE PAID TRIP TO COMPETITIONS AT THE CONNAUGHT RANGE IN ONTARIO IN 1951.
BOB WAS A LIFE TIME MEMBER OF THE REBEKAH-ODDFELLOWS LODGE AND WAS A RECIPIENT OF HIS 70 YEAR PIN.
BOB ENJOYED FARMING AND WORKING WITH, IN THE EARLY YEARS, JERSEY MILK CATTLE, SHIPPING CREAM TO FLETCHER’S DAIRY IN BRANT THEN NANTON CREAMERY AND SWIFT’S IN CALGARY AND LATER WITH HEREFORD CATTLE. HE ENJOYED BIRD HUNTING, ESPECIALLY THE ANNUAL GOOSE HUNT IN THE BROOKS AREA, HIS MEMBERSHIP AT THE NANTON RIFLE CLUB AND TRAPPING IN THE WINTER.
BELOVED FATHER OF A DAUGHTER MARIAN FISHER OF VULCAN AND A SON ROBERT (SHARON) IRWIN OF CALGARY, NINE GRANDCHILDREN, FOURTEEN GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, TWO BROTHERS JOSEPH (TONI) OF ROCHESTER, AB. AND DAVE (EDITH) OF BRANT, AND A SISTER JESSIE (RAY) LOVETT OF ABBOTSFORD, B.C.
HE WAS PREDECEASED BY HIS WIFE VIOLA SEPTEMBER 27, 1968, TWO BROTHERS JACK IN 1936 AND DICK IN 1978, A SISTER AGNES CAMPBELL IN 1965, HIS FATHER ROBERT IN 1944 AND MOTHER MARION IN 1960.
FUNERAL SERVICE THURSDAY JUNE 23, 1994 AT 2 P.M. AT VULCAN UNITED CHURCH WITH REV. BEVERLY HILL OFFICIATING. INTERMENT VULCAN CEMETERY.
CASKET BEARERS TOM IRWIN, CHRIS IRWIN, (DON IRWIN), JIM IRWIN, BROCK FISHER AND DWIGHT FISHER.
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, IF FRIENDS SO DESIRE, DONATIONS TO THE ARTHRITIS SOCIETY 301, 1301-8 ST. S.W. CALGARY, T2R 1B7 WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS IN CARE OF VULCAN FUNERAL HOME.