In 1978 Irvin met Shirley Kunze, forever his “sweetie” and love of his life. They loved traveling together; they spent 22 winters in Arizona and would take annual trips to reconnect with his army buddies throughout the country. On October 7, 1995 Irvin and Shirley were married in Manitoba, Canada. For Irvin’s 80th birthday they took a cruise and he swam with the dolphins. One of the greatest highlights of his life was a week-long trip taken in 1989 with his three sons to Montana for “The Centennial Cattle Drive.”
Survivors include his wife Shirley; sons Steve (Sally Timm) Jensen, Wayne (Diane) Jensen and Neil (Becky) Jensen; step-children Debi Burton, Diane Hanson, Denise (Kevin) Weitzel and Mark (Dawn picha) Burton; grandchildren Stacy (Michael), Laurie, Kelly (Pete), Brady (Amy), Tara, Dana, Marissa, Macaela, Alexandra, Joshua, Nichole, Stacy, Jeremy and Hayley; 17 great-grandchildren; siblings Louella Bjoraker, Harold (Janice) Jensen, Dale (Barb) Jensen and Stanley (Iris) Jensen; special cousin Rosie Simon and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Irvin was preceded in death by his parents; sister Delores (George) Goodnature and brother-in-law Roy Bjoraker.