Edward Dale Irwin

On the evening of Friday June 23, 2023, at 10:20 PM, Edward Dale Irwin, loving uncle, and friend to many, passed away at the age of 79. Edward was born on March 20th, 1944, in Carrol, Iowa, to Dale and Ruth Irwin. 

Edward graduated from Sac City High School, Sac City, Iowa in 1962. He earned a BS in Ag Business at Iowa State University in 1967. He earned a JD in Law and an MA in Business Administration at the University of Iowa in 1971. He served in the US Navy. He was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

 Ed settled in Aspen, Colorado for many years after school. He enjoyed skiing, running, hiking, boating, and living among the Rocky Mountains. He participated in numerous running competitions including marathons.

Ed was a metal sculptor. He learned to weld, working with his father on farm machinery. He made sculptures of figures from old railroad spikes and other common metal objects found around a farm. 

Ed later bridged his passion for running with that for art. He took long runs into the deserts of Arizona and Utah with a camera. He took photos of ancient Anasazi petroglyphs about the cavernous walls of the vast desert landscape. These images were his inspiration for artwork that sold in galleries throughout the southwest.

Also known as Fast Eddie, he was a race car driver. He drove in many local stock car races. He didn’t win very often.  But, he welded a large middle-finger hand sculpture that would raise up from the back window intended for drivers he was passing… and an occasional middle-finger to the audience in the stands. 

Eddie officiated many weddings over the years. He wore a clerical collar and riders chaps to roll up on a seated wedding party with his Harley Davidson motorcycle rumbling. He posed for a photo with this outfit and motorcycle for his business card that read: “Weddings, anywhere any time! -Reverend Eddie”

Edward lived in Grand Junction, Colorado for his last 20 years where he made many close friends and continued to weld and sculpt. 

He was preceded in death by his sister Mary, and Connie Manion. He is survived by Karen Witham, his brother-in-law Bill Waggoner, nephews Greg and Jeff Waggoner, Melissa Swibel, Tina Waggoner, Lucas and Sofia Waggoner, and Zoey Bailey.

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