Jack Edward Irvine M.D.

Jack Edward Irvine M.D., 95 of Ashland, Ohio passed away on Thursday, May 15 concluding a long active life – a life filled by his desire to help others.
Jack was born on May 9, 1930 in St. Paul, MN the son of James Edward and Emily Septima (Grifiths) Irvine.
After graduating from Central High School in St. Joseph, MO in 1948, Jack enlisted with the US Marine Corps, serving over 3 years. He earned the rank of Staff Sargent with occupation specialty as an airplane electrician.
Jack enjoyed working as a YMCA Youth Director during college and surprised his family when he announced his interest in pursuing a degree in medicine. With a major in chemistry, Jack graduated from Park College in Parkville, MO in 1955. He married Joyce Ann White of Lewistown, PA in 1957. He earned his doctor of medicine degree from the University of Kansas Medical School in 1959 and completed his internship at Broadlawns Hospital in Des Moines, IA in 1960 before entering private practice in Marshalltown, IA. Upon moving with Joyce and their daughter, Amy, to Ashland, OH in 1961, Jack began his long career of providing family practice service for the Ashland community first as a solo practitioner and later as a founding member of the Medical Associates of Ashland group practice until retirement in 1998. Highlights of Jack’s family practice career include supportive listening for patients describing their problems, delivering thousands of babies, providing physicals for school age and collegiate athletes, and offering heartfelt, practical health advice to patients about washing wounds with soap and water, stopping smoking, and eating more vegetables.
Apart from his demanding medical career, Jack loved working in the corn, oats, wheat, and hay fields and gardens of his and Joyce’s family farm and caring for the variety of animals who lived there. He was a dedicated and reliable husband and father. He was an ace groom for his daughters’ horse shows and a supporter for his children’s ball games, track meets, and cross-country events. Jack participated in football, soccer, and fast pitch softball as a young man and later enjoyed running and playing tennis with his children. Learning to golf and making a hole-in-one at the Brookside Golf Course was a post-retirement achievement.
Jack was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Ashland and later the First United Methodist Church of Ashland.
Jack is survived by three children, Amy Elderbrock of Ashland, Thomas (Shirley) Irvine of Shelby, OH, and Nancy Irvine (Craig Selby) of Ashland; five grandchildren, Emily (Chris) Carnett, Molly (Dave) Gatterdam, Betsy (Angus) Szilagyi, Andrew (Brooke) Elderbrock, and Melanie Irvine-Selby; and 2 great-grandsons, Zander Brock and Ryder Jack Gatterdam.
In addition to his parents, Jack was preceded in death by his wife of nearly 42 years, Joyce Ann (White) Irvine on February 6, 1999; two sisters, Gladys “Gil” Ludeman and Arleen (Faust) Schotanus; and Ellen Kathleen Hall Mount “Kay” Irvine who he married in 2002.
The family would like to extend their deep appreciation to Jack’s partners and staff of Medical Associates of Ashland for many wonderful years of service and friendship and, also, for the recent support provided by Lutheran Village of Ashland, The Inn at Ashland Woods, Gentiva Hospice, and, particularly, Dr. Micheal Stencel.
Jack embodied the “hard-work ethic” and frequently encouraged this effort in others with a brisk pat on the back. He was very appreciative of friends and past patients who went out of their way to greet him around town.
No funeral service will be held. The family will celebrate Jack’s life privately. Heyl Funeral Home is handling the arrangements for private burial in Ashland Cemetery.

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