Thomas J. Irwin (2013)

IRWIN, MAUCK

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart (email)
Date: 11/4/2013 at 10:08:00

Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa
November 04, 2013

THOMAS J. IRWIN, Des Moines

Thomas Irwin, 82, of Des Moines, died Saturday, Nov. 2, at Ramsey Village. The body was cremated, and a memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7, at Dunn's Funeral Home in Des Moines. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday at Dunn's. Private burial of the cremains will be at a later date at St. Patrick's Cemetery at the Irish Settlement in Cumming.

Tom was born on April 10, 1931, in Des Moines, and lived there most of his life. He graduated from Drake University in 1952 with a degree in accounting, and was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. Tom was a Korean War veteran, serving from 1952 to 1954. 

Following his service, he met his wife, Donna, through mutual friends at Armand's Alpine, now the Alpine Tap.

Tom was employed at Wolf and Company (now Deloitte) from 1955 to 1960. He was the controller at Gibbs-Cook Equipment Co. (now Ziegler) for 28 years before his retirement in 1988.

In later years, he and his wife owned antique shops in Winterset and Casey, Iowa. She was the buyer; he, the treasurer.

Tom loved baseball in general, but the New York Yankees specifically. He died knowing that the Yankees had re-signed Derek Jeter for one more year. He loved traveling to see his team play in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Kansas City. He also made a pilgrimage to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

Tom loved cheap beer, breakfast for lunch, office supplies, books, WWII movies, St. Patrick's Day, the Iowa Oaks, and numbers but not story problems. He never complained. Ever.

He was proud to be the great-grandson of John Cutler, for whom the Cutler covered bridge in Madison County was named.

Tom was fortunate to be a member of an outstanding group of men from the Dowling High School class of 1948 who got together each month for breakfast and camaraderie.

He spent his last months at Ramsey Village in Des Moines. Surely there cannot be a more caring community of individuals. For that, Tom and his family were extremely grateful.

Tom is survived by his son, Steve (Cheryl); his daughter, Sheila Mauck (Kent); and his granddaughters, China, Zoey, and Piper Mauck, whose stories and activities kept him busy and entertained. He is also survived by his sister, Clare, and brother, Bernard. Tom was preceded in death by his wife, Donna; his parents; and his brother, Jim.

Memorial contributions may be made to Ramsey Village. Online condolences will be welcomed atIlesCares.com.

Iles Dunn's Chapel, 2121 Grand Ave, Des Moines