Irene Green

Our wonderful loving mother, Irene Green, 98, passed away peacefully in her sleep early on April 28, 2024, after a brief illness.  Born in Garnish, Newfoundland, the daughter of the late Margaret and John Grandy, she is also predeceased by her siblings Frazer, Russell, Hugh, Frances and Jess. She was the loving wife of the late Ivan Green, who died of cancer in 1987 soon after their 40^th anniversary. In recent years, our mom suffered from dementia and in her lucid moments often expressed her desire to be with our father and her family, rather than be a burden.  To us, she was never a burden.

She is survived by her daughter, Frances (Robert Fullarton) and her sons, Ivan (Marie MacLennan) and Gary; six grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; grand nieces and nephews and great grand nieces and nephews.

Our mother was an amazing, intelligent, kind woman, full of courage, strength and adventure, beautiful inside and out.  After graduating from high school in Garnish, she went to Memorial University and obtained a teaching certificate.  She taught in Fortune Bay, but wanting more, she moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia.  There she met and fell in love with our wonderful dad, Ivan, and they married in 1947.  Frances (Fran) was born in 1950; followed a couple of years later by Ivan Jr and then Gary.  With our father at sea for six months per year, working hard to provide for his family, she raised us almost singlehandedly.  We have countless fond memories of our childhood, including an adventure of her driving with three very young kids (seven and under) all by herself from Montreal to Garnish, after just getting her licence!  Throughout our lives she was always supportive and encouraging, often telling us how proud she was. Her only wish was that we be happy and safe, loving us every minute and telling us often.  After we went out on our own, Mom worked at Ogilvie’s in Ottawa and then Sears in Halifax, making many friends before retiring. Shortly after our father passed away, she moved to Ottawa to be closer to family. 

When her health declined, we willingly took on the caregiving role, with as much love as she gave us.  We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the staff at Bridlewood Trails for their wonderful care of our mother over the past couple of years.  Their genuine kindness and professionalism made a difference to our family knowing that she was so well taken care of. 

We will miss her dearly but are grateful that she is now at peace with our father and her family. A private family service will be held in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia at a date to be determined.  In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory to Queensway Carleton Hospital, Ottawa Hospital or the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada would be very much appreciated.