IVERSON, Irving

Judge Irving Iverson, passed away May 16, 2001. He was born to Norwegian immigrant parents in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1915. After spending most of his life in the Minneapolis area, he retired to Phoenix in 1985. He is survived by his devoted wife of 58 years, Viola, his daughter, Lynne Larson, of Phoenix, AZ; granddaughters, Laura Larson of St. Paul, MN and Kara Skinner of Honolulu, HI; great grandchildren, Claire and Jack Skinner; sister Thelma Nelson of Alexandria, Minnesota; three, nieces and two nephews. Upon graduation from Edison High School in Minneapolis in 1933, during the height of the depression, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corp. He then worked in a foundry. Foregoing a raise to 60 cents an hour, he enrolled at the University of Minnesota, which he attended from 1935 to 1939, studying pre med and pre law. From 1940 to 1942, he was a claims adjuster with Employers Mutual. In 1942 Irving Iverson enlisted in the US Navy as a Seaman. He was later commissioned and promoted to lieutenant. He served in all theaters of World War II as an Armed Guard Commanding Officer, responsible for the defense of cargo ships. After his wartime military service, he attended William Mitchell College of law, graduating in 1948. In 1949 Irving Iverson formed a law firm, Iverson, Coulter and Nelson, where he practiced primarily as a trial lawyer, specializing in negligence, eminent domain and aviation cases. Leaving private practice in 1967, Judge Iverson was appointed by Governor Harold Leavander to District Court of Hennepin County where he served until his retirement in 1985. While a trial judge, he was specially appointed by the Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court to sit on that court while it was conducting settlement conferences on pending cases. During his retirement, he was called upon by the Minnesota Court of Appeals to assist that court in disposing of its backlog of cases in 1987. He was also engaged in arbitration and mediation, serving on panels for the American Arbitration Association in the Phoenix area. Judge Iverson was a lifelong lover of music. He was a member of the Apollo Club of Minneapolis, a singer in many church choirs, a violinist and a member of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Boys' Choir of Minneapolis for several years. Along with his wife, he was an avid golfer and a member of the Interlachen Country Club of Edina, the Alexandria Country Club of Alexandria, Minnesota and more recently a member of the Paradise Valley Country Club in Phoenix. At the end of his life, Irving Iverson was a man much diminished in external capabilities, but who retained to the last moment of his life such qualities of character that are more important than any external accomplishments. He showered love on his family and friends and was a man who was constantly cheerful and upbeat in the most difficult of situations. He brought humor and joy to all who came in contact with him and will be greatly missed by many. A private service will be held at the Valley Presbyterian Church Memorial Gardens in Scottsdale, AZ with a celebration of his life to be held later in Minneapolis and in Phoenix. Memorials will be gratefully accepted by The Metropolitan Boys' Choir of Minneapolis or the American Heart Association. The Arizona Republic May 19, 2001