Obituary of McCORMACK – Irene Norma

August 7, 1929 – March 17, 2011 In the late evening of Thursday, March 17, 2011 we said goodbye to our beloved wife, mother and grandmother. She died of complications from a stroke she had earlier that day. Irene was born on a farm just outside of Sedalia, Alberta to pioneer parents from Czechoslovakia and Poland and grew up during the Great Depression in several different farms in Central Alberta, including those around Mirror and Alix, and this influenced how she lived her whole life. She was an environmentalist, living her life with a delicate footprint on the World, taking little, but giving greatly to those around her. When Irene said she had a “successful shopping trip” it meant she went window shopping and did not buy anything. Irene and Bill met at a dance in Innisfail in April 1953 and married on July 3, 1954. As a young married couple, they lived in Saskatoon, Regina and Edmonton, before settling in Calgary in 1969 and finding their family home in a beautiful cul-de-sac overlooking a park. Irene loved to paint and to stroll around the neighbourhood. She learnt to ski at 55 years of age and took on black diamond runs. She was always there to listen and to take an interest in whatever her children wanted to talk about and she helped them in any way she could. She is survived by her devoted husband of almost 57 years, William, and by her five children, their spouses and her ten grandchildren. Her children are Michael (Laura), James (Marnie), Daniel (Kim), Gerard (Kelly) and Elaine (Simon). She was very proud of her grandchildren Andrew, Zoe, Callum, Quinlan, Cameron, Jocelyn, North, True, Erin and Sara. She is predeceased by her Mother and Father, Nellie and John, and her siblings Florian, Steve, Edwin, Harry, and Agnes and survived by her sister Sylvia. In the last several years, Irene had serious health concerns, but always kept her keen powers of observation, sharp memory and her sense of humour. Memorial Services will be held at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY’S Park Memorial Chapel (5008 Elbow Drive S.W.) on Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 2:30 p.m. Forward condolences through www.mcinnisandholloway.com. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada are greatly appreciated. We thank all of the staff at the Mayfair for looking after her for the last three years and we also thank the Nurses and Doctors at the Foothills for the kindness they showed to all of us on her last day. In living memory of Irene McCormack, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES Park Memorial Chapel, 5008 ELBOW DRIVE S.W. Telephone: (403)243-8200