Jack Irving remembered as quiet builder

Industrialist John E. (Jack) Irving was a key builder in Canada's business world, responsible for most of the Irving infrastructure in Atlantic Canada and Quebec, but he is remembered as a model of civility and "the quiet one" in his family.

Irving died in Saint John on Wednesday after a brief illness. He was 78.

Here are excerpts of what is being said about Jack Irving:

"We enjoyed many happy years growing up together at home and in the business. He will be greatly missed." — brother J.K. Irving

"He would be considered to be quieter in some ways than his brothers. But I found beneath that quiet demeanour was a very steely resolve and a very passionate man." — former N.B. premier Frank McKenna

"For more than 50 years, Jack Irving was truly the builder of the family. As head of the construction and engineering companies, he was responsible for the design and construction of the facilities that have made the Irving Group the presence it is in our region, from service stations and stores to oil terminals and countless other facilities." — Premier Shawn Graham

"Jack and I were very good friends. We became friends when we were opening four-lane highways in the province. He enjoyed it very much. He had an open invitation and I always sent him a special invitation, and he always came. He realized the importance of good, safe, four-lane highways and what they would do for the economy." — former transportation minister Sheldon Lee 

"When I was the mayor, I always remember meeting with him and we'd talk about something and he'd always say, " What next?" He was always thinking ahead about what should happen." — former Saint John Mayor Norm McFarlane

"He was always there, always involved and always prepared to apply his wisdom to the project — in a way that was quite different from his brothers. But the three of them worked together beautifully." — Senator Joe Day, formerly an Irving lawyer

"He’s a kind, gentle businessman. He’s going to be missed by our community. It is a sad day for our community when someone of the stature of Jack Irving dies." — Energy Minister Jack Keir

"He was a proud New Brunswicker and gave generously to heritage and arts initiatives. As a strong supporter of the arts in the Atlantic region, his contributions to this sector will indeed be missed." — Progressive Conservative Leader David Alward

"He was a model of civility. We could all learn a lesson from him with civility and about integrity. He was a great New Brunswicker, passionate about his province. New Brunswick is losing one of its favoured sons." — Donald Savoie, University of Moncton professor

"In my experience, he would listen intently and virtually not say a word. He’d let his brothers speak. You know when someone is listening well. That was his style. He was the quiet one." — Francis McGuire, CEO of Major Drilling International Group and former deputy minister of economic development for then-premier Frank McKenna

"Well, I think he had a brush with mortality some years ago, decades ago, when he was kidnapped, and set off a cross-city search in Saint John and was eventually recovered. He was left intact. But I think that was the moment when Jack got a lot of perspective about life and in many ways he's been less the business leader than the other two [brothers]." — Gordon Pitts, business journalist