Irving L. Yaffie, 74, of Brick, passed away Nov. 16, 2023.
Born in Syracuse, New York, Irv grew up in Fayetteville, New York, and attended Jamesville Dewitt High School. He met his future wife, Audrey Miller, on the campus of Syracuse University in 1974. They would go on to marry 10 years later and settled in New Jersey to start their family together.
Irv started his career in Syracuse working for Artifacts, a graphic arts company, creating hard-edge murals on buildings and giant canvases. Upon settling in New Jersey, Irv joined his father-in-law’s business, Fair Haven Exxon, and worked there for many years as a car mechanic. In 1983, Irv and Audrey started their own kite business, Sky High Kites, in the Black Sheep Building in Fair Haven. While Audrey ran the kite business, Irv simultaneously worked with Hagan Construction for several years. Irv was a master carpenter and in 1986, when they moved the kite shop to Ocean Grove, Irv started his own carpentry business and renovated many homes in Ocean Grove.
In his youth, Irv enjoyed skiing, sailing, canoeing, fishing and motorcycling. Irv also had a green thumb when it came to vegetable gardening. Creative, skilled and talented in pen and ink sketching, Irv created numerous original works of art. Irv’s other great passion was kite flying and he relished flying kites on the pathway and on the beach in Ocean Grove, as well as
stacking stunt kites that would lift him off the ground and carry him down the beach.
Irv was predeceased by his parents, Charles A. and Beverly (Grey) Yaffie. Irv is survived by his devoted and loving wife of almost 40 years, Audrey Yaffie, his cherished son Skyelar Yaffie and wife Sara of Ocean Township, and his three grandchildren, Nora, Isla and Owen, all of whom he completely adored.
Irv is also survived by his brothers, Charles Yaffie and wife Chris of Leland, North Carolina, and Jay Yaffie of Syracuse, as well as his niece Ashley Yaffie of Rochester, New York.
A Memorial Gathering will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2 at the John E. Day Funeral Home, 85 Riverside Ave., Red Bank.
Memories and condolences may be shared at johnedayfuneralhome.com.
This article originally appeared in the November 30 – December 6, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
