Richard Drury Irvin died December 9, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. He lived a generous, vibrant life guided by a passion for justice, and stubbornly resisted the impacts of Multiple Sclerosis for many years.
Rich was born September 19, 1946 in Dayton, Ohio, the oldest of four children born to Dr. Robert and Margo (Drury) Irvin. He grew up in Painesville, Ohio, and spent summers lifeguarding at Headlands State Park on Lake Erie. A graduate of Harvey High School and Ohio University, Rich worked in the Lake County Department of Social Services while attending law school at night before transferring to the University of Colorado for his JD (1973). Upon admittance to the Colorado Bar in 1974, Rich joined the Office of the Colorado State Public Defender, where he had a jury trial on his second day on the job. Those who worked alongside him will recall Rich's colorful and passionate style in the courtroom and his commitment to fair representation. He went into private practice in 1980, and devoted his career to zealously defending clients from all walks of life. Rich served as president of the Boulder County Bar Association from 2010-2011 and received the BCBA's Ron Porter Award of Merit in 2019.
Rich met the love of his life Ruth (Kromminga) at a Colorado Trial Lawyers Association conference in 1985, and they were married at the Halfway House on Flagstaff Mountain in Boulder on May 2, 1987. Together, they ran a Boulder-based law practice, Irvin & Irvin, for many years. Their daughter, Margo, was born in 1988, and being a father was the highlight of Rich's life.
Rich was overjoyed to walk Margo down the aisle at her wedding to Scott Baez in July 2024.
Rich was a true extrovert who thrived on good conversation, novel experiences, and an appreciative audience for his stories and (bad) jokes. He was passionate about history, movies, music, travel, and the Colorado Buffaloes, and loved to share a good meal. It was important to Rich to stay active: he ran the first Bolder Boulder and as many as he could thereafter; skied with friends and later his daughter; and swam regularly at Scott Carpenter Pool, the YMCA, and the Meadows Club. Even when MS began to limit Rich's mobility, he continued to push himself. Rich was involved in the CU Director's Club (past president), Boulder Rotary Club, the Boulder Philharmonic, the Meadows Swim and Tennis Club (past president), and First United Methodist Church of Boulder.
Rich was preceded in death by his parents Robert and Margo. He is survived by his wife Ruth, daughter Margo (Scott Baez), stepmother Connie Irvin, and siblings Ruth (Rick) Stenberg, John (Rhonda) Irvin, Kathleen Irvin, and Elizabeth (Sarah) Irvin, as well as many nieces and nephews. Rich's wife and daughter are truly grateful to Maria Ocampo, Mark Wagner, and the caring staff at Frasier Meadows Summit Care Center for their support and friendship in the last years of Rich's life. Gifts in Rich's name may be made to the Clinical Education Program Fund at the University of Colorado Law School, or the Boulder Philharmonic. A celebration of life will be held in the spring.