Gene Douglas Irving, affectionately known as “Doug,” age 65, returned to his heavenly Father on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Brunswick County, Virginia, after a lengthy illness and shortly after losing his wife and high school sweetheart.
He was born in Hopewell, Virginia, on January 15, 1960, to the late William Emory Irving and Laura Batterson Irving. He graduated from Hopewell High School in 1978 and went on to pursue his love of music at the Winchester Conservatory of Music where he became an accomplished musician and later had the privilege of playing for the Petersburg Symphony.
Doug was a very loving and giving man of God and served as the pianist and organist at several churches over the years, including St. James Catholic Church in Hopewell and Kilmarnock United Methodist Church in Kilmarnock, Virginia.
Doug was a teacher at Carter G. Woodson School in Hopewell for a number of years and later in life pursued a career as a Licensed Practical Nurse.
He was preceded in death by: his parents; wife of 40 years, Teresa Sylvester Irving; nephew, Michael Carey; in-laws, James and Sarah Harris Sylvester; maternal grandparents, Reginald N. Batterson and Margaret Short Burgess; and paternal grandparents, Willie and Lillian Irving.
He is survived by his children: Jeremy Douglas Irving and wife, Crystal Brown Irving; daughter, Sarah Nicole Irving; grandchildren, Ryleigh Faye Irving, Kaelynn Dale Irving, Brooks Thomas James Irving, Alicia Nicole Irving, Michael Andrew Langdon, Jacob Caleb Irving, and Roy Demont Gray, Jr. Sisters: Patricia Irving Steele and husband, Harry Raymond Steele; Sandra Irving Rhodes and husband, Robert Rhodes; Brother, David Glenn Irving; and several nieces and nephews, whom he loved dearly.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.