Henry Irwin Southwick III, 75, passed away in peace on Saturday, March 3, 2018 at Community Hospice & Palliative Care’s Warner Center for Caring in Fernandina Beach, Fla.
Born on October 16, 1942 in Sarasota, Fla., he grew up in Ft. Myers, Fla., where he graduated from Ft. Myers High School. After graduating from Clemson University with an electrical engineering degree and four years in ROTC, Irwin entered service with the U.S. Army Signal Corps as a second lieutenant. Based at Ft. Monmouth, N.J., he spent time maintaining communications across the ocean, serving in Vietnam, Thailand, Hawaii and the U.S. Upon completing his service, he served with the U.S. Army Reserves and began a career with Florida Power Corporation in St. Petersburg, Fla. Steps in his professional career included director of system planning, overseeing power distribution, transmission and generation planning, and director of energy control, managing power distribution and trading, plus coordinating corporate deregulation activities nationally. Along the way, he earned a master’s in industrial engineering. He was also an adjunct professor of business at the University of South Florida in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Irwin enjoyed traveling, visits to Florida’s Gulf Coast with family, plus his volunteer work and friends at St. Michael Catholic Church in Fernandina Beach. He will be dearly missed by all. His family appreciates the support and help provided by his friends, Community Hospice and Dr. Elizabeth Johnson of Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.
Irwin is survived by his wife of 54 years, Mary Alice Southwick, whom he met in high school; his sister, Judith May Harrell of Altamonte Springs, Fla.; and his twin children, Robert Irwin Southwick (Bonnie) of Fernandina Beach, Fla., and Susie Southwick LaTorre (Joe) of Ormond Beach, Fla. Grandchildren, a real source of joy for the last 20 years, are Elizabeth Terrell Southwick, Gena Marie LaTorre, Robert Irwin Southwick Jr. and Mario Irwin LaTorre. He is also survived by his nieces, Pamela Harrell Savukoski of Birmingham, Ala. and Finland, Deana Leigh Harrell of Charleston, S.C., and Brenda Lane Harrell, also of Birmingham.
A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 15, 2018 at St. Michael Catholic Church in Fernandina Beach. The service is open to everyone and will be followed by a reception at the parish hall.
The family suggests donations be made to the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation, MD Anderson Cancer Center of Houston, Texas, Cats Angels in Fernandina Beach, or any charity of choice.
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Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors