Irene Brown

Irene Brown was a remarkable woman, witty and wonderful, intelligent, determined and dignified. She was a ravishing, raven-haired woman, who believed in the importance of education. Irene was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend, and a woman who taught us all so much. Today her lessons and love live on in all who knew her.

Irene’s story began on a cold winter day in 1928, as the winds whipped off the lake in Chicago, Illinois. Those were good days in this country, the twilight of the Roaring 20s, and the calm before the terrible storm of the Great Depression. On February 12, 1928, Alois and Maria (Van Bezine) Bossche celebrated the birth of a beautiful baby girl, a daughter they named Irene.

Irene was the middle of eight children in the family, and just after she was born, they packed up and left Chicago, moving to Northern Michigan. Her father had designs on becoming a farmer, and bought some land in Grant, site unseen. When they made a scheduled stop in Grand Rapids, though, her mother said, “The snow is deep enough here. We’re not going any further!”

They did, however, and soon became a family of farmers. They were poor, and made even poorer by the Great Depression, but being farmers they always had food on the table. After the Depression, Irene’s hardworking dad found a job in Grand Rapids, and would travel there to work during the week, returning home to work his farm on the weekends.

Eventually, the whole family packed up and moved to Grand Rapids, where the bright young Irene finished her schooling. She loved school, and valued her education much more than her parents did. When she was a student at Grand Rapids Central High School, her father told her to quit and get a job to help the family, as was so common in those days. Being the determined young woman she was, Irene negotiated a deal with dad: she’d work full-time, and stay in school, too.

Irene proudly graduated with honors from Central High, having never gotten less than an A. She received a scholarship to Davis Tech for her hard work, and studied to become an executive secretary.

Her first job after graduating was as an executive assistant to the president at Berkley & Gay furniture in Grand Rapids. It was her personal life that got more interesting, however.

One day Irene went on a blind date with a handsome young soldier named Richard Brown, who had just returned home after the end of World War II. She thought he was handsome, and he loved her long, curly locks, the darkest, richest hair he’d ever seen! The sparks flew between them, and they dated for just eight months before getting married in Grand Rapids in 1946, beginning so many happy years together.

It wasn’t long before the newlyweds became parents, as well, with the birth of their daughter Jeanne in 1947. Steven followed in 1949, John in 1953, and Barbara rounded out the happy family in 1955. They weren’t all easy pregnancies for Irene, however, and two of her children were born very prematurely, and not expected to survive. Her son Steven was in the hospital for his first three months of life, and she sent his doctor a paycheck every month until Steven was 21 years old!

Irene was a wonderful wife and mother, and handled all the family’s finances. She could stretch a single buck into a ten-dollar bill! She also knew the value of education, and instilled that in her children. Steven admits that his mom was the only reason he graduated!

Irene furthered her educational involvement in the 1960s, when she went to work as the executive assistant to the Dean of the Evening College at Grand Rapids Junior College, working for a man named Wendell Schroll. She was an invaluable member of the staff, relied upon for her intelligence and insight, and could always be counted on to speak her mind, too! Irene had a sharp wit and a sharper tongue at times. She was always a lady, though, and always very dignified. She eventually retired from the college in the late-1980s, after more than 20 years there.

Irene enjoyed her well-deserved retirement, and enjoyed getting together with her friends to play poker. She called it her “Bridge Club,” since “ladies don’t play poker”! She also enjoyed going to the movies, theatre or bowling with her beloved Richard over the years.

Sadly, Irene’s beloved Richard died in 1989, after many happy years together. She was a very strong, determined and focused woman, though, and got through that period with her family and friends.

Eventually, Irene’s health began to decline, and her razor-sharp mind began showing signs of dementia. She moved to an assisted-living facility in Grand Rapids, where the staff always spoke of her remarkable wit and cleverness. Sadly, Irene died there on Sunday, February 24, 2008, at the age of 80.

Irene was a remarkable woman, a woman with a sharp wit and a sharper mind, a woman as determined as she was dignified. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend, and a woman who valued education over almost anything. Irene taught us all so much in her time with us. Today her lessons, and love, live on in all who knew her. She will be greatly missed.

Irene is survived by her children, Jeanne (James) Quackenbush, Barbara Dutkiewicz, Steven (Melanie) Brown, and John (Erin) Brown; grandchildren, Nicole Quackenbush, Jeffrey Quackenbush, Amy Stouten, Daniel Dutkiewicz, Maureen Brown, Andrew Brown, Kathleen Brown and their mother, Jody Brown; and her special great-grandchildren. The memorial service will be held at 11 AM on Wednesday, February 27 at Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes, 851 Leonard St. NW. Contributions to GRCC Foundation would be appreciated. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to share a memory, photo or sign the guestbook.