Glen Irwin

Aug 28, 1933 -

May 28, 2025

Anchorage, Alaska, resident Glen G. "Bud" Irwin, 91, passed away on May 28, 2025, in Anchorage. Memorial services will be held on July 5, 2025, at Chester Park, 2020 Muldoon Road in Anchorage, from 2-6 p.m. Interment will be at Angelus Memorial Park.

Mr. Irwin was born on Aug. 28, 1933, in Spokane, Wash. After attending schools in Sandpoint, Idaho, and Long Beach and Weaverville, Calif., he graduated from high school at Auburn, Calif., and then enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in August 1950, shortly after the beginning of the Korean War. He served as a tail-gunner on RB-50 bombers based in Puerto Rico and Kansas and flew cold-war reconnaissance missions from England and Greenland. He was discharged in September 1953 and reentered the USAF in April 1954 as an Aviation Cadet, receiving a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant and being rated as a navigator in June 1955.

He was then stationed in Germany and France and flew troop carrier missions throughout Europe, the near east and Africa. He met his future wife, Rosemary Ryan, who was then a USAF flight nurse stationed in Athens, Greece, and they were married in Basel, Switzerland, on Dec. 24, 1957. Later permanent overseas assignments included one as commander of "Paddy Control" at Can Tho in the Mekong delta of South Vietnam; Clark AB, Philippines; Osan AB, Okinawa and Mangil-San AS, Korea. He was assigned in 1975 as Deputy Chief of Ground Environment, Alaska Air Command, Elmendorf AFB, and has resided continuously in Anchorage since then.

Mr. Irwin retired on May 31, 1977, as a Lt. Colonel in the Regular Air Force and, until his final retirement in 2003, served in various sales, management and consultant positions within the real estate field. His military decorations and awards include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Joint Services Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medals and the Vietnam Service Medal with four campaign stars. He was a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, the Military Officer's Association of America and the Society of Mayflower Descendants in Alaska.

Mr. Irwin is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Evelyn and Ronald Raymond of Aloha, Ore.; son and daughter-in-law, Richard and Deborah Irwin of Anchorage; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; a nephew; and numerous cousins and in-laws residing in Alaska and the Lower 48. His wife, Rosemary, predeceased him in 2011; and son, Patrick, in 2005.

Instead of flowers, the family suggests any donations be made to the Anchorage Senior Activity Center, 1300 East 19th Ave., Anchorage, AK 99501.