Charles A. Irvin Jr.

Charles Andrew Irvin, Jr., age 89, of Longview and formally of Gum Springs passed away September 15, 2013. A native Texan he was born August 2, 1924 in Burleson to farming parents Charles Sr., and Ruth Irvin. Charlie, fondly nick-named by his family as “June” left school early during the “Great Depression” at 15, to seek work where he took a job as soda jerk at the local drug store in Henderson. By the time he was 17 he had left the family ranch & farm life working as a roughneck in the sea of oil derricks known as the Permian Basin and Charlie would work the duration of WWII as a 'good hand' on countless rigs eventually working his way up to tool pusher and servicing rigs all over the state. As Charlie came to have a family, Joyce put her feet down from the gypsy life and Charlie left the dangers of the oil fields to be a pipe fitter at 30; they settled a homestead just outside of Longview in '66. With one child, then two and finally three one decade would become four with Charlie eventually working as Superintendent of instrumentation for the last 20+ years of his career with HB Zachry Construction. Joyce opened a beauty salon and together they put all three children through college and they were rewarded with grandkids in return. Charlie loved tinkering with all his home projects while staying close to the family after many years on the road working. Later he went back to school and earned his GED. Charlie always appreciated how fortunate he had been in life and all the friends they gained along the way. He will be sorely missed by all who loved and knew him. He is survived by his loving wife, Joyce Marie; son and daughter-in-law, Marcus and Nancy Irvin of Plano; his daughter, Linda De Villeneuve of McKinney; his son Kent Irvin of Florida; grandchildren, Alex Charles Irvin of Lubbock, Ashley De Villeneuve of Frisco, Austin De Villeneuve of McKinney and Kent M. Irvin of Santa Clara, CA.; brother, Robert Irvin of Henderson and sister, Sarah Fears of Tyler. There will be a time of visitation 6pm-8pm Wednesday, September 18, 2013 at Rader Funeral Home in Longview. Funeral services will be the next day, Thursday, September 19, 2013 at 9:30am at Winterfield United Methodist Church in Longview with interment to follow at LanevilCemetery on FM 225 in Laneville at 11:30am

Charles A. Irvin Jr.

August 2, 1924 - September 15, 2013