Eugene Holland Irwin
May 5, 1935 – December 6th, 2012
About 4AM I was seeking consolation in the book of Job, unable to sleep due to a heavy heart. I was deep in the curse Job pronounced upon the day of his birth and found these beautiful and solemn words…
“Let the stars of its dawn be dark;
let it hope for light, but have none,
nor see the eyelids of the morning”
Little did I know that in a few short hours my father would be going to “meet his Lord” – as he said to me just a few days before when I asked him what he was thinking about. He died at 6:32AM while my brother Chris and I watched him breathe his last breath through tears of both joy and sadness. Just seconds later Mom, Sarah, my sister Stacey, and Chris’s wife Diane burst through the door in hopes of sending him off with their goodbye.
I will cherish many moments I had with Dad these last few days. Two come to mind: one, was when I leaned over him in his bed while holding back tears at the discomfort I could see in his face. I said, “Pop, I wish I could help you, I really do. You know I would if I could.” With his eyes still closed and without a word he reached up and patted me twice on the arm as if to say, “Thank you, son – I wish you could too.” The second was when I was sitting on the bed at his side talking to him and I brought up his favorite verse Philippians 4: 6&7 – I started to recite it, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God…” and quietly my Dad jumped in with a hoarse whisper and said, “And the peace of God, which surpasses understanding…” – he said “surpasses understanding” as if he was drinking a cold glass of water, something he craved but we were unable to give him much of at the time – and together we finished “…will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” It was hard for me in that moment not to dissolve into a puddle in front of him, but I wanted him to know the courage I felt and shared with him as he faced his passing from this earth.
This afternoon we met with Mom and Dad’s pastor to talk over his memorial service that my brother and I are arranging. We are structuring it around Dad’s verse. Chris will share his memories over verse 6, and I will share mine over verse 7. I hope we can get through it. A few days ago, as I was reading Philippians 4, the phrase at the end of verse 5 that sets the context of 6 & 7, “The Lord is at hand…” really jumped out at me. We’ve asked the pastor to finish off the memorial with an exposition on this phrase after Chris and I are done. We know Dad would have wanted all who attend this service to know his Lord, to know that He was at hand for him – during Dad’s whole life and especially at his death – and that Jesus is at hand for any who call on his name in faith. There will be non-believers at that service and I pray the Spirit chooses to rush in like a wind and do His work in their hearts, as well as the hearts of those who follow Him.
Back: Pop, Joan (Kirk’s Aunt), Frank (Kirk’s Uncle)
Front: Frank (Kirk’s Granddad), Dorcas (Kirk’s Grandmother)
Thanks so much for your prayers…and the emails. They were known and felt. It has been a struggle for me and will continue to be for a while. Tomorrow I wake up for the first time in my life without my Dad living and breathing on this earth – and I feel undone about that feeling. Nevertheless, I trust the God who was at hand for Dad and so will He be for me.
Peace my friends, and remember the Lord IS at hand,
Kirk & Sarah
So sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing and letting us learn about your father. He sounds like a man of faith who gave a lot of love to his family. You all are in my prayers. Take care, Audrey
Dear Kirk,
What you are sharing is so touching. I thank the Lord for him, that I had the previlege to know him for the last nine years. I have always felt welcome at your parents house and included in the family. I will miss his laught and his jokes but I rejoice, as a believer in Christ, that I will see him again when it will be my turn to take my last journey…
Love,
Isabelle
Simply beautiful, Kirk. Thank you for your winsome, heartfelt honesty about the joy and sorrow of Gene’s passing into Glory to the Church Triumphant. It was an honor to serve with your dad as a fellow elder at EP Church – especially enjoyed his hearty laugh, prayers, and good-natured needling! He will be missed by all.
Kirk , we are so sad for your Dad’s death and celebrating with you – his presence with his Lord and Saviour now. Praying for you and your family much comfort and PEACE! There may be anxiety but through prayer and thanksgiving…. You know the rest! The REST!
Kirk, this is beautiful. It brought tears to my eyes. I grieve with you, at the same time looking with you to the hope that your dad now sees fully. may God be Abba to you in the days and years ahead.
My heart hurts reading this. I’m sure your father would feel honored by how beautifully you describe these last moments with him. And the pictures(!)… way to make a grown woman shed tears.
My most genuine thoughts and heartfelt care are with you and Sarah.
Love, Jess
Kirk,
My heart breaks for you. I know this is not easy even with the assurance you have of your Dad stepping into eternity. So sorry for your loss. I will definitely be praying for you.
Jarvis
Praying for you all. This is a really special tribute to a wonderful man. All comfort and grace to you all.
So glad you and your brother were able to be with him… God will use that to comfort you in days to come… we serve a great and merciful God!!
You know he loved you dearly and was so very proud of you and Sarah and the work you are doing. So sorry for your loss.
Kirk, I am so sorry for your loss. Thanks for sharing your heart about these last few days. There is nothing quite like sitting beside a parent in a hospital room at such a time. I pray The Lord will comfort like only He can. Praying for you and Sarah. Love you guys.
Dear Kirk,
Thanks for this poignant sharing of your life and family here… It breathes the sincere air of genuine caritas and kindness––which I sense was very much a part of your father. I lost my parents within two months of each other three years ago…and feel the loss still reverberating, even in this lovely tribute you’ve written. May God’s peace protect your heart from being crushed in this time of being under the cloud.
Death is just wrong. That’s all there is to say…but Life is mysteriously interwoven in and through these times.
May you continue to say yes to life in the midst of this lonely and dark time.
Pax, Bruce
Your heart is in the right place, focusing on this verse will be comfort to your soul. This verse has encouraged my heart today, so thank you for posting this. As for your loss, I’m so sorry. A father is a irreplaceable figure in a man’s life. I will pray for your heart and wife during this time.
God bless
I’m so sorry for your loss. Gene was a special man, especially to my mom and dad. He will be missed.
So sorry for the loss of your father Kirk. Your tribute and heartfelt thoughts about his passing are beautiful and honoring. May God’s Shalom surround you and your family.
I’m sorry for your loss. Being with your dad in these final days was a gift and blessing from God. Your presence and words must have been a source of comfort and courage. Heaven is all the more appealing knowing that he is there.