In Memoriam: Arthur L. Irving '72A

Arthur L. Irving '72a

Arthur L. Irving '72a, the driving force behind the College's Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society, passed away on May 13, 2024, in Boston. He was 93.

Born and raised in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, Irving developed a love of the environment and entrepreneurship. After graduating from Acadia University, he joined the family business, Irving Oil, later becoming president and chairman in 1972. Throughout his career, Irving demonstrated an enthusiasm and support for business, the environment, education, healthcare, research, and the community.

At Dartmouth, Irving and his wife of 40 years, Sandra '72a, funded scholarships for Canadian students, developed the Sandra L. and Arthur L. Irving Professor of Economics Endowed Chair, and helped fund undergraduate students in business studies in partnership with the Tuck School of Business. Dartmouth awarded him an honorary degree in 2010, the same year daughter Sarah received her AB in sociology.

Perhaps his greatest impact on campus came in 2016, when Irving, Sandra, and daughter Sarah '10 Tu'14—along with Irving Oil and the Arthur L. Irving Family Foundation—established the Irving Institute. "Meeting the energy demands of the future is one of the most complex and urgent challenges facing humankind," former President Phil Hanlon '77 said when announcing the institute in 2016. "Arthur L. Irving is a visionary leader on the global energy stage who understands the transformative potential of a Dartmouth education, and Irving Oil has long been an early adopter of technology and processes that improve the environmental performance of their assets and products. The institute will be a testament to Arthur Irving's highest values and aspirations, and a catalyst for the creation of new knowledge and of future energy leaders."

He is survived by Sandra; children Arthur, Emily, Jennifer, Kenneth, and Sarah; eight grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.