Irvin Eugene Spitler

Irvin Eugene Spitler passed away peacefully at his home in Peoria, Arizona, on January 11, 2026, at the age of 97.  He was born on March 7, 1928 in the small hamlet of Foss, Oklahoma, to Willis and Leota (Davis) Spitler.  He was the second of three children.  Irvin came from a family deeply rooted in American history.  On the Spitler side, his ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War and arrived in America in the early 1700s.  On the Davis side, his ancestors also fought in the Revolutionary War and later in the Texas War for Independence.  

Irvin's family eventually moved to Levelland, Texas, where they farmed.  He developed a love for agriculture at a young age and was driving a tractor by the time he was 12.  He attended grade school and high school in Levelland, where he played football for the Levelland Lobos.  

After graduating from high school, Irvin worked in the oil fields, but he returned to farming after marrying Nell Rae Pickens and starting a family.  He farmed in Texas for several years before moving to southern New Mexico, where he homesteaded raw desert land.  There, he drilled the first water well in the area and transformed hundreds of acres of desert into productive farmland.  

In 1958, Irvin moved his family to Phoenix, Arizona, where he purchased a small business, Southwest Pipe and Supply, which supplied water well casing to farmers throughout Arizona.  Over the next 25 years, he expanded the company to included deep-well pumps and large-scale irrigation systems.  The business grew internationally through an industrial joint venture in Saudi Arabia and a major irrigation project in Thailand.  

Irvin considered the Thailand project the crown jewel of his entrepreneurial career.  The project involved drilling 200 water wells, installing pumps and pipelines, and delivering water to farmers who were then able to grow multiple crops each year, lifting many families out of poverty.  The Prime Minister of Thailand once remarked that while other countries offered expensive studies and theories, America-and Irvin Spitler-delivered results.

In the early 1960's, Irvin earned his pilot's license and owned several airplanes, which he used for both business and pleasure.  He especially enjoyed flying to Mexico for fishing trips.  He was an avid traveler, visiting more than sixty countries and all fifty U.S. states, many of them by RV.

Irvin was a man of faith and service.  He was instrumental in the construction of the First Baptist Church in Columbus, New Mexico, and was an active member of North Phoenix Baptist Church.  He also played a significant role in building Royal Palm Baptist Church in Phoenix.  In addition, he was a strong supporter of the Spitler School Foundation, which established and continues to support the Spitler Primary School for children in Cambodia.

Irvin was preceded in death by his wife, Nell Rae Spitler; his daughter, Leslie Ann Spitler; his grandson, Dewey Alan Spitler and his sister, Elva Schoenrock.  He is survived by his brother, Paul Spitler of Prague, Oklahoma, his daughter, Kay Spitler of Peoria, Arizona; his son Danny Spitler and wife Pam of Phoenix, Arizona and his son Dee Spitler and wife Dusty of Prescott, Arizona.  He is also survived by seven grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.  

Irvin Spitler lived a life of purpose, marked by integrity, perseverance, and compassion, leaving a legacy that endures in the people he uplifted, the land he shaped, and the family he dearly loved. 

Memorial gifts would be welcomed by the Spitler School Foundation. 

https://spitlerschool.org/our-support/ 

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