Clyde Vernon Irving died Feb. 24, 2007.
Clyde was born on April 21, 1921, in Williston, N.D., to Vernon and Mabel Irving.
His father was an engineer on the Great Northern Railroad so the family moved a number of times around North Dakota and Montana. Clyde graduated from Glasgow High School in Montana.
He then moved to Seattle, Wash., to work and live with friends from Montana. In 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the Medical Corps in England. Following his discharge, he returned to Havre, Mont., and attended North Montana College.
In 1946, he met Jeanne Minugh, who had just been discharged from the U.S. Army Nurse Corps. They were married on Sept. 14, 1946, in Havre. A year later, they moved to Seattle and both attended and graduated from Seattle University with Bachelor of Science degrees. In 1950, Clyde began teaching at Edmonds Grade School. However, he always wanted to farm, so in 1954 he and Jeanne purchased a small farm near Marysville, Wash., where he raised laying hens, strawberries, cattle, horses and pigs. After three years he began farming part-time and returned to teaching in Marysville and later in Lake Stevens, Wash.
He retired from teaching in 1975 because of serious medical problems. When Jeanne retired in 1978, they traveled extensively all over the world most often with their Airstream trailer as part of the Wally Byam Caravan Club. They especially enjoyed time spent at Lake Conconully with their grandchildren in tow. They also attended a number of Elderhostels and continued to enjoy the discipline of learning along with social interaction. Clyde loved visiting with people and never met a stranger.
Over the years he took great pleasure in all things western, from reading Louis LAmour to raising Arabian horses and Polled Hereford cattle. He was an avid fisherman and boater. For 25 years he was a 4-H Club leader and was one of the founding directors of the Puget Sound Junior Livestock Show as well as a member of the Evergreen State Fair Board. He was honored for his volunteerism in 2003, when he was inducted into the Washington State 4-H Hall of Fame. He was also awarded the Degree of Honorary State Farmer in 1965 by the Washington Association of the Future Farmers of America.
Clyde is survived by Jeanne, his wife of 60 years; his son, Dennis (Linda) Irving, of Everett; his daughter, Jill (Stan) Schwartz, of Reardan; his daughter, Kim (Blain) Roberts, of Hoquiam; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother, Kenneth (Mildred) Irving, of Glasgow, Mont.; his sister, Louise (Dick) Cole, of Havre; and his sister, Betty (Bob) Turner, of Kalispell, Mont.
Services were held at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, March 1, 2007, at Garden Court, Everett.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Virginia Mason Foundation, Organ Transplant Patient Fund, or Washington State 4-H Foundation, Puyallup.