Robert James Armstrong Irwin, III

Robert J. A. Irwin - Investment Executive; Community Volunteer; skier; sailor; world traveler; a philanthropist in the truest sense of the word; lover of poetry, literature and opera; raconteur, and an accomplished amateur historian and genealogist, died on January 9, 2017 in Sarasota, Florida. Born June 27, 1927, he was 89 and a native of Buffalo, New York. As a young executive he was trusted and respected by the finance and business community. As an example, during the Cold War, as the youngest member of the delegation, he traveled from the United States to the Soviet Union with the local Chamber of Commerce seeking business opportunities for Buffalo. His career took him to NYC where he worked for Marine Midland Bank. A number of years later Paul Schoellkopf, Chairman of Niagara Share, asked Robert Irwin to return to Buffalo to lead this well-established firm. Mr. Irwin always said, ""It was a joy working at Niagara Share, and especially with Paul Schoellkopf."" Until his retirement in 2008 Mr. Irwin was Chairman, President and Treasurer of ASA Limited, a closed-end investment company specializing in investments in precious mineral mining companies. Prior positions included President and Chief Executive Officer of Niagara Share Corporation, a Buffalo based global closed-end investment company and head of investment research for the Marine Midland Corporation in New York City (which is now part of HSBC Bank). Mr. Irwin served as Chairman of the Closed-end Fund Association and a director of the Investment Company Institute, trade associations for the Investment Company industry in the United States. He also served as a director of Kleinwort Benson International Fund which was sponsored by a British Investment Bank and as a director of the Colonial Penn Insurance Group, the St. Joe Paper Company in Florida and the Western Savings Bank in Buffalo. He served as an Advisory Member of the Board of M&T Bank and First Empire Corporation of Buffalo. David Christensen, President and CEO of ASA Gold & Precious Metals Limited, said, ""Robert Irwin was the true definition and epitome of a gentleman."" Respected for his wit, wisdom and wide-ranging experience, as well as for his energetic interest in community affairs in Buffalo, he served on the boards of a vast variety of non-profit organizations. He was a Trustee of The Baird Foundation for 55 years, Director and Treasurer of the James H. Cummings Foundation, as well as serving as an advisor to the John R. Oishei Foundation, President and director of Hauptman Woodward Medical Research Institute, and President of The Shaw Festival Foundation Inc. In addition, he served on the boards of The Albright Knox Art Gallery, The Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society, Fund for Music, Elmwood Franklin School, The Old Fort Niagara Association, The Library Foundation of Buffalo and Erie County, The Boys and Girls Clubs of Buffalo, and The Women and Children's Hospital Foundation. He proudly served as a Trustee and Vice Chairman of the New York State Historical Association located in Cooperstown, and he served as a director of the American-Scottish Foundation. Mr. Irwin travelled throughout the world in search of investments for the funds he managed. He took an especially strong interest in the social, political and economic issues challenging South Africa, becoming a director and Treasurer of The St. Barnabas College Fund, Inc. which raised money in the United States and other countries in order to support the education of promising black secondary school students in South Africa. He also served on the board of the University of Cape Town Fund of South Africa. He graduated from Colgate University in 1949 and continued his education at the Graduate Business School at Babson College. He attended preparatory school at Ridley College in St. Catharine's, Ontario, and in later years he served on the Board of Ridley and as Chairman of its American Foundation. In 1993 he received the Man of the Year Award from The Boys and Girls Clubs of Buffalo and Erie County. In 2002 he was recognized by the Historical Society of Buffalo and Erie County with the Red Jacket Award for Community Service. The Hauptman Woodward Research Institute presented him the Helen Woodward Revas Award in 2003 for layman service to Medical Research. In 2005 The Old Fort Niagara Association honored him for his many years of service, including his efforts to raise funds to construct their new Visitor's Center where the gallery – with the historic over-sized 1812 Star Spangled Banner – is named in his honor. He was a member of various organizations including the Buffalo Club, Saturn Club, Pack Club, Mid-Day Club, Buffalo Canoe Club, Coral Beach & Tennis Club of Bermuda, The Niagara on the Lake Sailing Club, The Royal Canadian Yacht Club of Toronto, The Plantation Golf & Tennis Club of Venice, Florida, as well as The University Club of New York City. With a keen interest in history, he wrote numerous papers on historical subjects in connection with his membership in The Pundits, a 100+ year old organization in Buffalo where research papers are written and read to the other members. Several of his papers have been published in various historical journals and on the internet. An avid recreational skier, he skied throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. He particularly enjoyed cross country and mountain touring, traveling for days with his companions over alpine terrain, spending nights in mountain huts, climbing during the day, and by moonlight skiing down through fresh powder. In 2003 his extensive collection of early skiing literature and photos was donated to the New England Ski Museum which named its library in his honor. Another hobby was sailing, and he had an active interest in historic watercraft and rowing. He was an ardent sailor racing a jointly owned 40 foot wooden sailboat (Blythe Spirit) at the Buffalo Canoe Club at Bay Beach, Ontario in the 1950's and ‘60's. In later years, with his wife and ""First Mate"" Donna, they cruised Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River in their Nonsuch Cat boat ""Bataleur"". In 2014, the Western New York Maritime Center christened a replica ""bateau,"" or early ferry boat to be used at Canalside, as the Robert J.A. Irwin in his honor. In his retirement years Mr. Irwin actively pursued another passion, tracing his ancestry to important periods in history. His research and ancestral history led to his memberships in: The First Families of Western Pennsylvania, The Society of Colonial Wars, and the Sons of the American Revolution - Saramanja Chapter. His most impressive accomplishment, however, was tracing his family back to the Emperor Charlemagne and becoming a member of the Society of the Crown of Charlemagne. He was the son of the late Dr. Robert J.A. Irwin, Jr. and Dorothy McLean Irwin of Buffalo, NY; beloved husband of the late Donna Henwood Irwin; former husband of Barbara Butler Baird; proud father of William Baird Irwin (Kathleen) of Rochester, VT, Elaine Irwin Cryer (Arthur) of Buffalo, NY, Elizabeth Irwin Mitchell of Sarasota, FL, and R. James A. Irwin, IV (Karen) of Hopkinton, NH, Ronald H. Irwin (Jacqueline) of Cape Town, South Africa, and Derrick M. Irwin (Marcia) of Wayland, MA; dear brother of Virginia Irwin Jenks (Airell B.) of Woodstock, VT, Susie Irwin McWilliams (late James C.) of Chagrin Falls, OH, William C. Irwin of Temecula, CA, and ""Grampa"" to his 11 grandchildren and one-great-granddaughter. He will be greatly missed by many cousins, nieces, nephews, and countless friends. If desired, memorials may be made to the Old Fort Niagara Association, Hauptmann Woodward Medical Research Institute, the Robert J.A. Irwin III Fund for local history at The Buffalo Seminary, or the Sarasota Adaptive Rowing Program. Farley Funeral Home in Venice is handling the arrangements.