Troy Irwin

Troy Irwin, 46, Minot,

died Friday, December 23,

2016 in a Minot Hospital.

Troy was born De-

cember 12, 1970, in Great

Falls, MT to Lane and

Cheryl (Mavis) Irwin.  He

was raised in Surrey, ND

where he graduated from

Surrey High School in

1989.  He played basket-

ball and baseball in high

school.  He played for the

Sawyer/Surrey Legion

Baseball Team, who

claimed the State Class B

Championship in 1989.

Troy helped his dad in-

stall carpet for many years

and lived the motto “Any-

thing worth doing is

worth doing right!”  Troy

received his Bachelor of

Science in Education with

a major in History and

Physical Education and a

minor in coaching from

Minot State University.

Troy was united in mar-

riage to Helga Waldbauer.

This union was blessed

with two sons, Brett and

Cade.  His greatest accom-

plishment and joy in life

were his boys.  As a fa-

ther, he found his true

calling.  His love, respect

and strong character will

live inside his boys forev-

er.  Troy began his career

with Minot Public

Schools in 1998.  He was

passionate about his job

as an 8th grade History

teacher at Erik Ramstad

Middle School.  He loved

his students and was al-

ways able to see the best

in them while teaching

them to love history as

much as he did.

Troy will always be

remembered for the great

man he was and the love

and passion he felt for

life.  His infectious boom-

ing laughter could be

heard upon entering the

room, making everyone

feel like a friend.  Troy’s

passion for the Pittsburgh

Steelers and Kansas City

Royals along with his pas-

sion for all sports was

well known to all who

knew Troy.  He didn’t be-

lieve sports were just a

game to play; he believed

sports were a way of life

and were the key to many

valuable lessons.

Troy had a passion for

his hobbies.  Dungeons

and Dragons kept him a

child at heart and gave

him the ability to lose

himself in storytelling of

mythical lands and

creatures.  Troy found a

reason to be happy every

day of his life; he always

believed happiness was a

choice and he practiced

that belief daily.  He

showed a great love for

his family who gave him

the best possible start in

life.  He loved his signifi-

cant other, Lilly, and her

two boys unconditionally,

as he was a great believer

in unconditional love.

Troy enriched countless

lives through his work

with students, athletes,

friends, family and col-

leagues.  They will always

feel the loss of his untime-ly death because he can-

not ever be replaced.

Troy is survived by his

children, Brett and Cade

Irwin; his love, Lilly Tay-

lor, and her boys, Nick

and Alex Taylor, all of

Minot; parents, Lane and

Cheryl Irwin, Minot; sis-

ter, Staci (Mitch) Van

Vleet, Fargo, ND; brother,

Travis (Jamie) Irwin,

Minot; nieces and

nephews, Halie, Sam and

Karli Van Vleet and Porter

and Pryce Irwin; aunts

and uncles, Rande and Joe

Scott and Marlys Reming-ton; cousins, Brent (Nan-

cy), Jason and Jodi Scott

and Dwight (Pam) Rem-

ington.

Troy was preceded in

death by his grand-

parents, Lee and Mabel

Irwin and Roy and Olga

Mavis.

Funeral Service:  10:30

a.m. Friday, December 30,

2016 at First Assembly of

God, Minot.

Interment:  Rosehill

Memorial Park, Minot.

Visitation:  Thursday,

December 29, 2016 from

3:00 until 6:00 p.m. at the

Thomas Family Funeral

Home, Minot.

Memorials are pre-

ferred to an education

fund for his children.  Do-

nations can be made to

the Troy Irwin Benefit at

any Gate City Bank.

Those wanting to sign

the online memorial regis-

ter or share memories and

condolences are invited to

use the expressions of

sympathy section at

www.thomasfamily

funeralhome.com