BEATON, Irene

Irene Alexandra Beaton died peacefully on May 30, 2016 with her family by her side.  Wife of the late Robert Fulton Beaton (1986) and mother of Robert (Janice), Colleen Glanville (Gordon) and Clive.  Loving grandmother of Pamela Grenier (Matt) and Robert Glanville and great-grandmother of Grayson.

Predeceased by her parents William and Norah Jenkins and brother William and sisters May, Nellie, Jean, Lil and Nora.  Survived by her sister, Susan Gordon, and by many nieces and nephews in Canada, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England and Australia.

Irene’s Irish blue eyes sparkled through the joys and sadness of life. Irene grew up in Belfast in a family of mixed religious traditions and was a person of great faith who valued kindness and friendship.  Arriving in Wawa in 1953, Irene and Bob were here to welcome many other newcomers from their homelands.

Later on, Irene and Bob enjoyed happy years with family and friends from Wawa and the First United Church community. She was a strong advocate for Compassion Canada and was instrumental in building support for it in Wawa. As a widow, Irene initiated a self-help support group for people grieving which ran for many years. Irene enjoyed walks with people, knitting for family and others, and was a wonderful cook and baker.

We wish for Irene, our mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend that -as she wished for us: ‘May God hold you in the hollow of His hand’.

As per Irene’s wishes, cremation has occurred and a family funeral service will be held at a later date.

Memorial donations to the Lady Dunn Health Centre Foundation or Compassion of Canada would be greatly appreciated by the family.