Tinsley "T" Hoyt Irvin

Tinsley Hoyt Irvin, “T”, was born in Cornelia, GA on May 30th, 1933 and passed away on February 19th, 2025. He was the son of Henry Hoyt Irvin and Annie Ray Irvin King. When T was just 6 years old he lost his father in an automobile accident. His mother supported T and his younger brother as a school teacher. This instilled a very strong work ethic in a young boy who wanted to help his mother support the family. The first 16 years of his life he enjoyed a small town upbringing delivering newspapers, working as a soda jerk, and playing high school football. The big city of Atlanta soon beckoned him as he began his journey to meet his ambitions for education and a career. T attended the University of Georgia Business School, graduating in 1955. He started a lifelong career in the Insurance Industry, beginning in the mailroom at Alexander & Alexander, a path that culminated in him becoming CEO and Chairman of the Board of A&A. T met his wife and soulmate, Gail Wood, on a blind date. They were married in 1955 and had two daughters, Cindy and Diane. T was a devoted family man.

He served in the US ARMY at Fort Hood, TX during the Korean War. He prided himself on being “a country boy who never missed a day of work”. T was a member of the Kiwanis Club, where he served as their youngest president. He was a faithful member of the United Methodist Church. He was a member of Capital City Club and the Phoenix Society where both his daughters made their debut. In 1977 T’s job took him to A&A Corporate Headquarters in New York City. He and Gail left their beloved Georgia for Greenwich, CT. They were members of Greenwich Country Club. They also shared a home in London, England and traveled the world for both work and pleasure. T served on the Board of Directors of A&A, Equifax, ChoicePoint, and the Georgia State University Athletic Committee.

Upon his retirement, T and Gail happily moved back to the south, living at their beautiful “Hidin’ Place” on Lake Burton. He was an avid golfer at Waterfall Club and enjoyed long boat rides, teaching generations to water ski and entertaining friends and family. He was grateful for Denise Grist, who takes care of the Hidin’ Place and was a true friend. After Gail’s passing and 64 years of marriage, T devoted much of his passion to helping establish a Men’s Bible Study at Lenbrook. He treasured his connection with these special friends.

T loved his dog Sadie, who was 15 years old and preceded him in death by only a few days. His dedicated friend and caregiver, Robin Andrews, tenderly aided both Gail and T since 2018. T was an exceptional husband, Daddy, and Papa. He loved his family fiercely. He is preceded in death by his wife, Gail, his parents, his brother, Neill Irvin, and his granddaughter, Erin Irvin Aivalotis. He will be deeply missed by his daughters Cindy Aivalotis (Ron) and Diane Christian (Michael), his grandchildren Stephen Christian (Alyssa), Avery Christian, Cole Aivalotis, and Meggie Aivalotis, his great grandson Michael Christian, and his nieces and nephews all whom he loved deeply.

A celebration of life will be held on Friday, February 28th at 10:00am at Dunwoody Methodist Church, 1548 Mt. Vernon Rd., Dunwoody, GA 30338. Services will be officiated by Dr. Phil Schroeder. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Dunwoody UMC.