Ben F. Irvin

August 11, 2011 Ben F. Irvin, Jr. of Tulsa, OK, 85, was born November 29, 1924 in Vinita, OK to Mary and Ben F. Irvin. He passed away April 2, 2010 in the company of his son Ben Irvin III and grandson Guy G. Irvin. Ben is survived by loving wife of 65 years, Betty Jean Irvin; son Ben F. Irvin III; grandson Guy George Irvin; sister-in-law Roline Wise of Tulsa; brother-in-
law J.C. Wise of Oklahoma City; nieces: Renea Hudson and Diane Wise, both of Tulsa, Dana Luft of Bixby, Gaylene Wise of Oklahoma City, Becky Carter of Midland, TX, Kathy Friedman of Fort Worth, TX, Linda Thompson of Morrison, CO, Carol Halford of Greensboro, NC and Debbie Steinman of Eugene, OR; nephews: Roger Wise of Denver, CO, Gary Wise of Oklahoma City, Keith Lamb of Ft. Myers, FL, Mark Lamb and Robert Lamb, both of Chicago, IL. Ben was a U.S. Navy sailor that saw combat in World War II. He dropped out of high school at the age of 17 to volunteer for the Navy. In 1944 he married the love of his life, Betty Jean Wise of Oilton, OK in Providence, RI. After the war he was admitted to what is now called Oklahoma State University to major in electrical engineering. Ben finished the usual five-year degree in only three years, all the while supporting a wife and child. In 1954 he became an electrical engineer for Schlumberger, where he rose to the position of District Manager. In 1986 he retired from Schlumberger and lived in Grand Junction, CO. He was an active trout fisherman and most summers found him fishing and camping on the Gallatin River Valley in Southern Montana. Ben had many other hobbies that included ham radio (received the Genghis Khan Award for having talked to every nation on earth), rock hunting, agate marble making, gardening, and mastering mathematic riddles. He was probably most proud of the awards he had procured in ham-radioing (a couple dozen). During the past 14 years he gave all his effort and undivided attention to caring for his wife Betty, who suffers from Alzheimer's and a heart condition. Ben will greatly be missed by his many friends, neighbors and family. Bequests may be directed to the American Cancer Society, 4110 S. 100th E. Ave., Grant Bldg. #101, Tulsa, OK 74146, 918.743.6767, www.cancer.org Memorial service: 2PM Saturday, April 10 at the Broken Arrow Chapel. Kennedy-Amis-Kennard Funeral Service, 918.251.5331