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Ollie Martin Irvin, age 72, of Sturgis, passed away on September 27, 2024 at Bronson Hospital in Battle Creek.
He was born on November 2, 1951 in Mt. Pleasant, the son of the late Orton and Leona (Jernstadt) Irvin, the oldest of three siblings. Ollie’s cousin described Ollie as the pillar of his extended family.
Ollie is survived by his beloved, devoted and cherished wife of fifty years, Mary (Root) Irvin. He was preceded in death by his brother and sister, Dana and Gail Irvin, his niece, Cassidy Lansberry, and his parents in-law, Robert E. and Elva Root of Burr Oak. Ollie is survived by numerous adoring and appreciative nieces and nephews, their children and his sister-in- law Angela Irvin. During their decades of marriage, Ollie and Mary provided a loving home for ten cats including their current kitties: LoLo, Goldie and Prince.
Ollie graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School in 1969 and from Central Michigan University in 1975. Ollie financed his CMU education by laboring in the oil fields during the week and working at a men’s clothing store on weekends. He continued his post-grad education at Western Michigan University. Ollie met Mary, the love of his life, at CMU, and they were married August 17, 1974.
Ollie described himself as a Swiss Army knife when asked about his professional life. He was a lifelong educator whether it was during his years of teaching and coaching in the Centreville Public Schools, instructor in the St. Joseph County Jail continuing education program, training employees during his years of industrial management in various local businesses or hiring and organizing teams for corn detasseling during his summer breaks from teaching. Ollie freely provided valued guidance to those who sought his advice and was a trusted confidant. At CMU, Ollie was a dedicated member of his fraternity, Lambda Chi Alpha, and had seven little brothers during his long-standing affiliation. He was also involved with the inter-fraternity council at CMU. After graduating from CMU, Ollie and Mary moved to the Burr Oak/Sturgis area. Along with Mary’s parents, they were members of the Burr Oak Dance Club. Ollie was always prepared to help and provided leadership with dedication and enthusiasm. As a social studies teacher with a degree in history and political science, Ollie stayed current on local, regional, and national politics. He contributed time and effort to supporting local campaigns and the Omena Lake Homeowners Association. Ollie enjoyed working in his yard and took pride in keeping the grounds around their home orderly. He was a life member of the Sturgis Elks Lodge 1381, joining in 1977 when he and Mary moved to Sturgis. Neighbors in Sturgis and at Omena Lake knew Ollie would always make himself available when needed. As avid sports fans, Ollie and Mary were U of M football season ticket holders for over thirty years. In recent years, they supported their CMU Chippewas as season ticket holders and regularly attended home games. Ollie loved music and could hold his ground with any 60s and 70s music trivia. Ollie and Mary enjoyed traveling and attending concerts. They developed many long lasting friendships on their adventures. Ollie never met a stranger and could strike up a conversation with anyone he met.
An open house celebration of Ollie’s life will be held on Sunday, October 20 from 3 to 6, at Whiskey Creek, 230 S. Third Street in Burr Oak. Mary requests in lieu of flowers, please consider an everlasting tribute in memory of Ollie to:
Humane Society of Branch County, 969 Wildwood Road, Quincy, MI 49082
Burr Oak Community Foundation, 31621 Townline Road, Burr Oak, MI 49030 or
St. Jude Children’s Hospital, P.O. Box 1999, Memphis, TN 38101
Envelopes are available at the Hackman Family Funeral Homes. If you choose instead to plant a tree in memory of Ollie, please visit the Hackman Family Funeral Homes website.
