Irene Eleanor Brennan's Obituary
Irene Eleanor (Mears) Brennan
On the 26th of December, 2008, Irene Eleanor Mears Brennan, age 81, passed away on Friday, December 26th, 2008 following a courageous battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). She was born in Tacoma on May 17th, 1927 to Andrew and Ruth Mears and was raised with her 8 other siblings on South Montgomery Street. Irene graduated from Lincoln High School and enjoyed ice skating with her friends. It was during one of those outings that she met her future husband Jack J. Brennan, a career army officer stationed at Ft. Lewis. They were married in July 1948. In October 1951 they adopted the infant son of Irene's younger sister, Margaret, who had been killed by her husband in April 1950. Irene enjoyed the many diverse cultures she encountered while being an army wife, living and traveling throughout the United States, Japan and the countries of Europe. In 1963, after Jack was hired by the District Attorney's office in Redwood City, CA, Irene took a position as a medical records supervisor where she worked till shortly before they retired and returned to Tacoma in 1977. It was while in California that Irene became an accomplished artist and produced a number of oil paintings. Over the years, Irene loved to socialize and collected many close friends whom she stayed in touch with via cards and email. A few years after the death of her husband Jack, Irene became reacquainted with an old high school boy friend, Ray Sprossig and they shared life together until his death in 2003. At 81, she was on her 4th computer and had spent several years researching and published a comprehensive genealogical history of her family going back to the late 1700s. Irene moved from Tacoma to the new Wesley Homes community at Lea Hill in Auburn, WA after several years of "snow birding" between Tacoma and Yuma. Irene was very well loved by everyone she met. Always active, she was best known for her smile and sense of humor. Irene is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Jerold (Jerry) and Joanne Brennan, who reside in VA; brothers and their spouses: Clyde and Sue Mears, Reno, NV, Lester (Robert) and Nancy Mears, Sequim, WA, Loren Mears, CA, Elmer (Fritz) and Helen Mears, St. Petersburg, FL, and Norman and Betty Mears of Clinton Township, MI. She was preceded in death by her husband Jack, infant son John, mother Ruth, father Andrew, and siblings Margaret, Earl, Melvin, and Julie. She has been interred with Jack and John at the Fort Lewis cemetery. A memorial gathering for family and close friends is planned for May 2009 in Tacoma. The family has requested that memorial donations and acknowledgements be sent in Irene's name to: Highline Hospice, 12844 Military Road South, Tukwila, WA 98168 or via online www.highlinemedicalcenter.org. Please visit and sign our online guestbook via the Tacoma News Tribune website: www.legacy.com/tribnet.
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