Irving Anthony Jennings, Jr., a member of a pioneer Arizona family, passed away suddenly on May 17th at the Veterans Home of California in Barstow, California. He was 96. A native Phoenician, Irv enlisted in the U. S. Navy and began active duty shortly after his graduation from North Phoenix High School in 1943. Irv witnessed the Battle of Iwo Jima while serving as a gunner on the destroyer, the USS Case. After the victory, Irving asked permission to go ashore to photograph the grave site of a Marine from Phoenix who had died in the battle and sent the photo to the young man's parents. Following his war-time service, Irv attended the University of Arizona where he majored in Agriculture. Blessed with high energy and a love of the outdoors, he farmed cotton in Rainbow Valley. In 1967 Irv founded his own real estate development company, initially developing the Village of Oak Creek in Sedona, and Kachina Village in Flagstaff. Irv moved to Lido Isle in the Newport Beach area in 1976 where he enjoyed boating and ocean fishing while he continued to develop real estate communities in Southern California. In retirement Irv always had numerous projects including a garden planted with flowers which he took with his everlasting smile to the lady veterans in the infirmary at the Veterans Home. Irv was born on August 30, 1925 to Irving Anthony and Emogene Mercer Jennings. Irv's first marriage to Lois Marguerite Shill ended in divorce. In California Irv was married to Julie Sullivan for 37 years until her death in 2013. Irv was also preceded in death by his parents, brothers Roderic Mercer Jennings and Terry Marshall Jennings. He is survived by his sister, Judy Jennings Richardson, his first wife, Lois, their children Irving Anthony Jennings III, Jessica Lee Jennings, Marguerite Moriarty, David Shill Jennings, John Stephen Jennings, 13 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren. Arrangements are pending for funeral services and burial with military honors in The National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix.
Published in The Arizona Republic
Posted online on July 1. 2022