Dates
God called Walker Mitchell Irvin, Jr. (known as W.M.) home on September 15, 2015, at the age of 90. He was born on November 3, 1924, to Walker Mitchell Irvin, Sr. and Dulcie (Aldridge) Irvin in Hill County, Texas. W.M. was a loving, kindhearted, and good man. He was always positive and found the good in everyone. And he was always more concerned about others than himself. Heaven is surely rejoicing now. W.M. grew up in a large family that farmed outside of Hillsboro, Texas. He went to Hill Junior College for one year before he was drafted to serve in the Army Air Force in World War II. After the war, he went to Texas A&M where he received a degree in Animal Husbandry Science, graduating in 1949. After A&M, he started his career in Victoria, Texas as an Assistant County Agent. It was in Victoria that W.M. met Joyce Ann Marek. They married in 1950 and were blessed with 65 years together. Early in their married life, W.M. worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in a position that involved traveling all over Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. To travel less and start a family, W.M. took a job with the El Campo Production Credit Association in El Campo, TX. W.M. and Joyce Ann lived in El Campo for 14 years. For the opportunities it presented, W.M. accepted a position with the Farm Credit Administration in Washington, D.C., and his family moved to Springfield, VA, a suburb of D.C., where they lived for 20 years. W.M. accomplished much in his years of public service, most notably in the area of agricultural finance – working with and advising the boards of directors and management teams of some of the largest agricultural credit institutions anywhere, and regularly working with members of Congress and several Administrations on agricultural finance issues and legislation. After his career, W.M. and Joyce Ann retired to Lake Monticello, VA, where they lived for 14 years, and then returned to their Texas roots -- moving to San Angelo, Texas, where they have lived for the past 16 years. W.M. loved national and state politics, gardening, the Texas Aggies, and most of all spending time and visiting with his family and many friends. W.M. was always a faithful Christian and served in various ways in congregations where he and Joyce Ann lived, including serving as a Deacon and an Elder in Church of Christ congregations. Preceding W.M. in death were his father Walker Mitchell Irvin, Sr., his mother Dulcie Irvin, brothers Frank Irvin and Ross Irvin, and sisters Edna Orr, Montrue Doty, Marie Ramsey, Ann Cox and Rita Irvin. W.M. is survived by his wife Joyce Ann, his son Wayne Irvin (Patricia) of Nashville, TN; his daughter Carole Pitchford (Waymon) of Midland, TX; his grandchildren Nicole and Rachel Pitchford of Midland, TX; Elizabeth and Anna Irvin of North Carolina; and Mara Bloomfield of Nashville, TN; his sisters Dell Irvin and Yvonne Lawrence; and numerous nieces and nephews. The family visitation will be on Sunday, September 20, from 5-7pm at Johnson's Funeral Home and a memorial service will be Monday, September 21, at 11:00am at Johnson Street Church of Christ with Dr. Tommy King, officiating Minister. Interment will follow at Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens .
Pallbearers are Bob Knox, Don Bryan, Dan Johnson, Geral Sorrells, Bart Page and Lonnie Benes. Honorary Pallbearers; Gwynn Orr, Brian Elliott, David Clark, Doug Massey, Duane Keifer and Joe Marek.
The family would like to thank W.M.'s caregivers: Rani, Nancy, Cathy, Adam, Michele and Zue for lovingly helping him in his last days.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Rust Street Ministries, 803 Rust Street, San Angelo, Tx 76903