Larry Iwan was a gentleman I worked with for almost three years. I haven’t actually seen him since my last day at that company just over a year ago. He retired last Friday apparently in good health and died on Monday. He didn’t even get a day off.
There are no guarantees in life.
Obituary from Calgary Herald
IWAN Lawrence John “Lars” May 9, 1938 – December 8, 2008
The Following Obituary Contains Memories That Could Be Offensive To Some Readers. Did that grab your attention?
Good, because the guy that the following is about, liked to get peoples attention. Lawrence John Iwan, or Larry as he was known to many and Lars to many more, unexpectedly passed away this past Monday morning at 70 years of age. All things considered we think that is about thirty years too soon.
To say that Larry cut a unique path through life would be a grievous understatement and a true injustice to a man who truly saw no boundaries and made it a priority to soak up all that life had to offer every single day.
His cup was always half full even when merely a drop remained. Born in Winnipeg’s north end in 1938, John and Jessie’s proudly Polish boy would chase inclination, love and adventure across Canada for the next several decades, eventually settling in Calgary with his beloved wife and best friend Kathy.
Larry relished the awkward moments in life; often working tirelessly to initiate them. He was the icebreaker that every room needs. Quick witted and blessed with an extremely high IQ, he really could do anything that he set his mind to. A fistful of successful careers that included; race car driving, politics, photography, music and sales to name just a few.
Long days and busy nights with the ultimate pay off, weekends at the lake, Lars loved the lake it was his little piece of paradise. We can say with some confidence that the waters of Lake Mara will never be the same. We also suspect that insurance rates will come down now that he is off the water.
This past May to mark the occasion of his 70th birthday Lars went on a pub-crawl with his wife, kids and friends. A bus was rented, a course was charted, and like a band of merry pranksters, Lars and his posse traveled the city celebrating life’s rich pageant at every stop along the way. In hindsight very apropos for a man who truly lived his life enjoying each and every stop along the way.
We love you Lars … Now get back on that bus, the next stop has dancing girls! Larry is survived by his wife Kathy Stirling, whom he adored more than life itself, and his children, Michelle, Debbie, Dwight, Darren and Dale, their spouses Rene, Jarrett, Monique and Gail; his grandchildren Jordan, Claire, Max, Cooper and Adam and his father-in-law Donald “Radar” Stirling.
