Surrounded by his loving family, Roger Irwin, of Sullivan, MO, passed away at home on the evening of Friday, September 24, 2021.

Roger was born in Maryville, MO on August 13, 1941. He was the last of four children born to Otha Charles Irwin and Dorothy Jean Owens Irwin.  Roger is survived by his wife Mamie Susan Kline Irwin, along with two sons Daniel Irwin and wife Louise of Jerseyville, IL and David Irwin and wife Cherie of Sullivan, MO; one daughter, Lisa Hunt of Creve Coeur, MO; three grandsons Erik Hunt of Harker Heights, TX, Ethan Hunt of Pacific, MO, and Ian Irwin of Sullivan, MO, as well as one great grandson Clay Hunt of Eastman, GA. He is also survived by two brothers Otha C. Irwin Jr. and wife Carolyn of Watervliet, MI and Richard LeRoy Irwin and wife Karen of Coloma, MI; and one sister Patricia Irwin of St. Joe, MI.

Roger's father was the superintendent of a Baptist Church and to this day Roger has a King James Bible that was given to him as a reward for his excellent attendance.  His mother was a Sunday School teacher at the same church and would also substitute teach in the one room schoolhouse in the community.

Roger was the youngest of the Irwin children.  He grew up with very little materially. He recalled living in house where the snow blew into the bedroom in Northwest, Arkansas.  The family had one horse to ride to school, so Roger being the youngest had the privilege of riding on the horse's rump.  The family would take a weekly bath behind the wood stove in the living room.  Roger's sister went first, then his dad, then mom, then the siblings-in the same bathwater!  Guess who usually went last!  The three boys all shared one small dresser.  The older boys got the larger drawers, and he got the smallest on top because, yes you guessed it, he was the youngest.  Roger loved his siblings very much and just like everyone he cared about, he would tease them whenever given the opportunity to do so.

In the early 1960's, Roger was introduced to Jehovah's Witnesses through a high school friend.  All his life he had been taught the human soul was immortal but when shown Ecclesiastes 9:5 which reads "for the living know that they shall die, but the dead know not anything", a light turned on for him.  Roger never felt he was worthy enough to go to heaven, but the thought of living forever on a paradise earth not only seemed logical but appealed to him as well.  His study of God's Word progressed, and he was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses on May 5, 1962 in Memphis, TN.

Roger and Mamie Sue met in a Kingdom Hall in Walnut Ridge, AR.  Sue, as she was known by in the south, was a pioneer who went to Arkansas to help out in an isolated group.  It was a year later the two met again in Memphis, TN at a Circuit Assembly.  Roger was working as the stage overseer, and they made some return visits together on some men who were going to school at a seminary in Memphis to invite them to the public talk.  Roger and Sue both had a mutual interest in the ministry and serving Jehovah.  They were married on June 27, 1964 and spent their honeymoon at a District Convention in Owensboro, Kentucky.  Everything they owned was in the trunk of their little Falcon car.  They lived in the south when their congregations integrated, and the family worked unassigned territory in Mississippi in the early 60's during the height of civil unrest.  Roger served as an elder in Tennessee, Louisiana and in Missouri.  He served as an overseer in many different departments for Circuit & District Conventions of Jehovah's Witnesses.  Roger would conduct a Watchtower study in the yard of an interested person.  After moving to Missouri, he felt privileged to help in planning of new congregations including Halls Ferry in St. Louis which was formed from the Dellwood Congregation and the Central Congregation which was formed from the Union, MO Congregation.  His life was dedicated to giving spiritual aid to others especially when they were undergoing illness and other crisis in their life.  He had the privilege of assisting in various aspects of building dozens of Kingdom Halls all over Missouri.

As a devoted husband, father and grandfather, Roger enjoyed spending time with his family. He loved to take trips with them and spent a lot of time camping, hiking, canoeing, and sleigh riding. He even went white water rafting twice! Swimming in Lake Michigan with his sons and grandsons was a real highlight for him, as it brought back memories of his youth. During his final years, Roger spent nearly every moment with his wife, and that was completely fine by him. Every day, after his nap, Sue would drive Roger through the countryside, and he just quietly looked out the window as she slowly drove along. One might only wonder if he was thinking up jokes to text to his friends or coming up with witty lines to tease his kids and grandkids.  If he wasn't joking about moving in with you, he was joking about kicking you out. He continually set the example for his family in always choosing to do the right thing, even when it was hard. He insisted on being present and participating in every single congregation meeting, despite his failing health.

Roger was diagnosed with ALS three years ago, yet through his illness he was a wonderful example to others in showing courage and faith in all of God's promises found in the Bible.