Obituary of Irwin J. Auer

Irwin Joseph Auer, 89, of Windsor Point in Fuquay-Varina, NC (longtime resident of Vineland, NJ until 2012) passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 26, 2016. His family will be at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 2384 E. Landis Ave. in Vineland on Monday, August 1st with visitation from 9 to 10:30 am and service at 10:30 am. Reverend Gary Stiegler and Reverend Richard Shenton will officiate. Burial will follow at Brigadier General William C. Doyle Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Wrightstown, NJ. at 1:30 pm as arranged through DeMarco-Luisi Funeral Home, 2755 S. Lincoln Ave., Vineland, NJ.. Irwin was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts to Adelaide and Ernest Auer on March 27th, 1927. While his immigrant family worked hard to make a better life, he was sent as the youngest child ever to cross the ocean alone at year old to spend his early childhood with his grandmother in Frankfurt, Germany, returning in 1936 to live with his parents, sister and three brothers in NY. He later graduated with Honors from Central Needle Trades HS in 1948 and earned a Certificate of Patternmaking to complete his training as a tailor. He enlisted in the United States Navy, proudly serving his country as Seaman First Class from 1945-1946 and again from 1950-1951, then trained as a Captain's Driver and base school bus driver in Coco Solo, Panama. This skilled craftsman worked as a Custom Tailor on 5th Avenue in NY's Garment District before the Navy and before marrying the love of his life, Barbara, his wife of almost 66 years (on July 30th), living together in Panama during his service and then moving to Kentucky, working for Handmacher and Vogel from 1951-1956 making ladies' coats and suits before moving to Vineland in 1956 to be closer to the family he valued so much to continue his career as foreman at Phoenix and Jordan Clothes and Genesco among others, usually making mens' suits, until his retirement after more than 35 years of tailoring, training and supervising all phases of production, quality, cost and personnel in factories as well as doing drapery, upholstery, and private alterations and volunteering to make choir robes and gowns for nursing facilities for many more years. Dedicated to his children, he made time to participate in family activities such as day trips and barbecues with backyard games of croquet, badminton and baseball. Always a lover of music, Irwin met his wife as their two German choirs mingled at a dance and continued dancing and singing for many years as a tenor in the Redeemer Lutheran Church choir, the Vineland Singing Ambassadors, the chorus at Cumberland County College and the Troubadours men's choir at Windsor Point, his retirement community in Fuquay-Varina, NC as well as learning to square dance, enjoying German dances, and volunteering as part of Vineland's Kitchen Band for many years. He was always an active volunteer quietly leading or contributing to church committees such as the Evangelism and Stewardship Committees, serving on boards and volunteering for food co-ops and affordable housing. He was known to neighbors for his clean, trimmed landscaped yard including beautiful vegetable and flower gardens on Iris Avenue in Vineland. Everywhere he went he was recognized as a dapper dresser, often wearing his own self-made suits with patriotic lapel pins. In order to stay in Vineland when Genesco left NJ, he took an early retirement but was proud to say he was never out of work for more than a few weeks, whether serving others making deliveries for Winslow Pharmacy, or joining an assembly line at Wheaton Glass, accepting contract work for clothing factories making mostly women's coats, men's designer suits, and military uniforms, always maintaining a well-respected personal alteration business on the side. He was always a quietly friendly, caring, generous Christian who put helping others ahead of his own immediate needs. Once retired, he stayed just as busy as a hospice volunteer and driver, food bank server, preschool driver, and Luther Acres Affordable Housing Board Member while staying actively involved in various senior centers around the county playing pinochle and enjoying plays, concerts, and social activities before relocating to Windsor Point in Fuquay-Varina, NC, in 2012. He enjoyed dancing, especially out doing the polka and square dancing or at home to Lawrence Welk, singing along with Mitch Miller, attending plays, shows, concerts, flower shows, and Phillies games (even organizing church trips as Redeemer's Phillies Phanatic), collecting coins and Phillies memorabilia. Every chance he had you could find Irwin watching anything his three children or five grandchildren were involved in as well as visiting Atlantic City and playing games like canasta, UNO, and Rummikub with his family and friends. He marched in parades as a proud Veteran in the VFW, sold poppies and supported veterans and senior citizens, and loved attending family gatherings locally or with relatives in NY and Maryland. Irwin always considered his Redeemer his home church, but attended Wake Chapel since moving to NC. He earned many trophies for tournaments (e.g. bowling and recently Wii bowling, bingo, pinochle) as well as dedicated service to the community. He loved eating fresh fruit (one family joke was to give him all their lemons and order more for him to make his own lemonade in restaurants!), and German delicacies such as herring, wursts, potato pancakes and sauerbraten. Most importantly he was a devoted husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather (Pop Pop), uncle, brother and friend to many. Irwin was always known to be by his wife's side as a dedicated loving husband, inspiring his wife, family and friends to remain faithful, loving and kind to all. His happy but seriously determined German nature combined with his sincere smile, motivated and uplifted many in need. Even in his last months, he loved to take walks to get fresh air, appreciating the beautiful world his Lord had given him, and socializing with other walkers. Even this past month he still rode an exercise bike regularly to stay fit since he was no longer able to enjoy Vineland neighborhoods by bike. Irwin Auer is survived by his daughters Nancy Reyes of Robbinsville, NJ, and Donna Sturm of Bridgewater, NJ, his son Kenneth Auer of Holly Springs, NC, their spouses John Reyes, Christian Sturm, and Carol Auer; grandchildren Cynthia Lally of Fayetteville, NC, Caitlyn Reyes of Robbinsville, NJ, Hope Auer, Caleb Auer, and Joshua Auer of Holly Springs, NC; his brother Arthur Auer and wife Lois of Silver Spring, MD, and sister Evelyn Streaman of Buffalo, NY; his devoted personal nurse and friend, Kim Coleman; many nieces, nephews, and beloved friends. He is preceded in the recent death this spring by his wife, Barbara Auer as well as his parents, his brothers Alfred and Walter Auer and their wives, and many more beloved relatives and friends. In lieu of flowers, Irwin would prefer donations be made to the Redeemer Lutheran Church, 2384 E. Landis Ave., Vineland, NJ 08361where he strove to improve accessibility or Resurrection Lutheran Church, 100 W. Lochmere Drive, Cary, NC 27518 which sponsored Low Vision support programs which helped him continue to enjoy and appreciate life this past year.