H. "Pat" Ireland

H. Kelly “Pat” Ireland, died Wednesday morning, October 3, 2012. He was 70 years old and had battled multiple sclerosis for over 25 years. Services will be held on Friday, October 5, 2012 at 11:00 AM at Marvin United Methodist Church. Visitation will be on Thursday, October 4, 2012 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Stewart Family Funeral Home. Mr. Ireland was born in Houston on September 10, 1942 to Hanson K. Ireland, Jr. and Kathryn Ireland. He grew up in Houston and graduated from Midland High School in 1960. At the University of Texas in Austin, he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration, played baseball and was a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity. He married Nancy Conner of Midland in 1965, and while she taught elementary school, Mr. Ireland attended Baylor University School of Law and received his J.D. in 1969. Eager to do trial work, from 1969 to 1970, he served as a briefing attorney for Honorable K.K. Woodley, Presiding Judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. He then worked as Assistant District Attorney for two years in Travis County and ultimately came to Tyler as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. In 1975, Mr. Ireland joined the distinguished Potter firm in Tyler and became a partner practicing civil defense. In 1984, he became founding partner in the firm of Ireland, Carroll and Kelley and he continued his practice as a trial lawyer until 1996. Mr. Ireland was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1985, and when his condition began to deteriorate so that trial work was too physically demanding, he became one of the first lawyers in Tyler to be trained in mediation by the State Bar of Texas. He enjoyed mediating both state and federal cases until his medical retirement in 2000. Mr. Ireland and his wife Nancy raised two daughters, Kelly and Patricia, in Tyler. He was active in the community and was a member of Marvin United Methodist Church, where he served on the administrative board. He also served on the board of Parents Anonymous. He was a resource lawyer for the University of Texas Health Center at Tyler, and received an “Outstanding Service Award” for his efforts as a member of the University Health Science Center at Tyler Institutional Review Board Committee from 1996 to 2009. In 2010, Mr. Ireland received the prestigious Justinian Award from the Smith County Bar Foundation for outstanding community service, legal ethics and professionalism. Mr. Ireland was an avid baseball fan and enjoyed following the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals. In spite of his frustrating illness, he is remembered for his gregarious nature and sense of humor. Mr. Ireland is survived by his wife Nancy, his two daughters, Kelly Ireland of Los Angeles, California and Patricia Ireland Garza of San Antonio, his sons-in-law, Matthew Lambro and Joe Garza, his three granddaughters, Camryn Elizabeth Garza, Kathryn Ruth “Kacie” Garza and Camille Ireland Garza, and many dear friends whom he considered family. If desired, memorial may be made to St. Paul Children’s Foundation, 1358 E. Richards St., Tyler, Texas 75702 or a charity of one’s choice.

H. "Pat" Ireland

September 20, 1942 - October 3, 2012