Robert J. Irvin age 82, a resident of Warrior, died on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2011 of cancer and heart attack. He was born on June 10, 1929, in Florence, to Robert (Senior) and Josephine Henry Irvin.

He began a long career in the railroad industry and organized labor in 1947 with the Tennessee Central Railway. After transferring his employment to the Louisville & Nashville Railroad in 1950, he worked as Agent-Operator and Train Dispatcher until 1971, when he was appointed Southeast Vice President of the American Train Dispatchers Association. He became President in 1986, and retired from that post in 1995, after having served 48 years in the railroad industry, he then became labor arbitrator, also worked five years for Phar-America delivering medicines to nursing homes, and two years as a clerk at Best Western Hotel in Gardendale, and in 2004 was asked to be the minister at the Union Hill Church of Christ in Cullman County.

He continued arbitration until 2010, and preaching until Aug. 7, 2011.

He served in the United States Army from 1950 until 1952, assigned to the Signal Corps and the Transportation Corps in the Free Territory of Trieste. He was also in the navy about 1946 for a year.

He graduated from Coffee High in Florence. He was preceded in death by his parents and step-brother, Doug McCall. He is survived by his wife of 55 1/2 years, Maibell Adgent Irvin; daughters, Beverly Scott and Gwendolyn (Jon) Sanders; son, Glenn (Kathy) Irvin; half-brother, Joseph (Sherri) Darveaux; step-mother, Myrtle Irvin of Callaway, Fla.; step-sisters, Carolyn Reynolds and Joyce (Norman) Todd; step-brother, Frank McCall; six grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and two nephews.

Visitation will be Thursday, Aug. 18 from 6 until 8 p.m., at Messmer Goodwin Funeral Home. Services will be at 2 p.m. on Aug. 19, 2011, with Bro. Lonnie Ingram presiding.

Pallbearers are Keith Parker, Christopher Sanders, Jon Sanders, Michael Sanders, Jack Scott, and Chris Wilson.

Burial will follow at Union Hill Cemetery in Cullman County.