Lorna Marie Irvine

Dr. Lorna Marie Irvine of Chevy Chase, MD passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 14, 2022. Lorna was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada to Reverend Lee Begg and Mary Begg on October 24th, 1936. Her father was moved to different parishes in Ontario so she and her younger sister, Margaret were schooled in several towns. Lorna attended high school in Oshawa where she was extremely popular, was elected class president, and became a cheerleader. Lorna did her undergraduate work at McMaster University where she obtained a B.A in English Literature. After completing her undergraduate degree, Lorna met Neil Irvine through a mutual friend and the two were eventually married in 1961 at McMaster and later had two children, Michael and Kerri in Ottawa. Lorna went on to obtain a master's degree in English at Carleton University. The family eventually settled in Chevy Chase, Maryland where she made close friends with many neighbors. She got a Ph.D. at American University and began her career as an Assistant Professor of English at George Mason University. She was ultimately promoted to Full Professor of English, Canadian Studies, Women and Gender Studies, and Cultural Studies. She distinguished herself as a faculty member, lauded by her students for her teaching skills and was the recipient of a teaching award. She was beloved by her colleagues for her intelligence, kindness, wisdom, and sense of humor. In addition to her teaching career, she was a literary critic, specializing in contemporary Canadian and Commonwealth women writers, in particular Margaret Atwood, Margaret Laurence, and Janet Frame. She published three books and numerous articles and essays. Additionally, she regularly presented papers at scholarly conferences. Outside her academic career, Lorna led an interesting life. She enjoyed international and domestic travel. One of her favorite trips was an annual visit to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina where she and her children met up with good family friends. Many memories were made here and she was able to relax and spend a lot of time reading. She was also able to go to Canada yearly where her family spent time with her father and her sister and sister's family. At home, Lorna held numerous dinner parties with varied guests and made delicious food. Music added richness to her life and she spent a great deal of time playing piano. She was fond of pets and almost always had a dog by her side. Lorna will be remembered as an adoring and affectionate mother and grandmother. She is predeceased by her husband, Neil. She is survived by her son, Michael and daughter, Kerri (husband, Michael Garofalo) and grandchildren, Alexander and Genevieve. She is also survived by her sister Margaret McLean and three nieces. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Alzheimer's Association in Lorna Irvine's name.