Obituary of Jack Stewart Irvine

JACK STEWART IRVINE, age 77, of Lafayette, passed away on Friday, February 17, 2012, at Gallatin Health Care Center. Funeral services for Jack Stewart Irvine were conducted Monday, at 11:00 a.m. from the chapel of the Alexander Funeral Home with Brother Phillip Willis officiating. Interment followed in the Sumner Memorial Gardens. Jack Stewart Irvine, age 77 years, 10 months, and 17 days was born March 24, 1934 to Frank and Ruth Irvine in Owosso, Michigan. In later years he moved to Boone, Iowa where he and his dad owned Arch Way Cookie Company. When he was about 19 he joined the army and served his country for about three years. Jack returned to Boone, Iowa where he met and married Jo Anne Germer the mother of his children, Tom and Marsha. I guess you could say that he was an adventurer, he did things that some of us would never dare. He moved his family to Hendersonville some time in 1969, there he opened the Shack a seafood restaurant then later bought a farm in Bethpage where he was a farmer. Then to Texas where he learned to make saddles. Jack worked on a ranch and took care of horses and cows. It was sometime in the 70's when he realized where he was headed, Jack turned his life around and from then on he tried to live for the Lord. Jack struggled with what the Lord wanted him to do so he went to school and became a missionary. He then moved to South Dakota on the Indian reservation for some time. After he moved to Macon County in 1997 he started a business, Jack had a greenhouse where he grew almost everything. The main thing was organic salad mix where he sold to High End Restaurants in Nashville, Tennessee. Personally I thought Jack was a wise Man! He had such a gift of growing things. He gave me some shrubs one time that I didn't get planted right away, and they grew right through the pot and into the ground. I don't remember ever planting anything that I had gotten off of Jack that didn't thrive. I used to prod him to tell me what he knew about growing things. He would stop and look at me and explain very quickly that anything I thought he knew was nothing and quote from the Bible "For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified". He'd say "Anything he'd ever learned was worthless, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified". I knew when Ms. Anne called me to help that it was all that Jack would have needed been said. Not saying Jack was a perfect man, he made mistakes, but he tried! No matter where he went or who he talked to Jack always managed to talk about the Lord. He read his Bible almost every day, till his eyes and his memory began fail, but he still listened to preachers on Television. For the last few months Jack was unable to do any of these. Jack life has been interesting and fulfilling. I feel his search is over, Jack has finally found what he was searching for, Peace and contentment with his Lord. Jack and Anne were married February 17, 1997 and Jack passed away on their 15th anniversary February 17, 2012. He will be greatly missed by family and friends. Jack is survived by: Wife, Annie Mai Irvine of Lafayette, TN, Son, Tom (Jennifer) Irvine of Boone, Iowa, Daughter, Marsha (Jeff) Phillips of Seabick, WA, Brother, Victor (Sharon) of Ontario, Canada, Stepdaughter, Darlene (Jessie) Lynn of Bethpage, TN, Stepson, Gary W. (Ladenna) Shrum of Cornilus, NC, 4 Grandchildren,4 Great-grandchildren, and 7 Step-great-grandchildren. Alexander Funeral Home, Directors, in charge of arrangements, (615) 666-2189 www.alexanderfh.com