Irene A. Meren

July 22, 2024

Our wonderful sister and aunt has left us to rejoin her family in heaven.

Irene Antoinette Meren passed away at Highland Park Senior Living, Wilkes-Barre Twp., on Monday, July 22, 2024.

Irene was the proud daughter of Italian immigrants Frank Meren and Brunetta (Conti) Meren Taras.  She was born in West Wyoming on April 8, 1929 and resided in Springville, Freeland, and Plains where she graduated as the valedictorian of Plains High School Class of 1947.  While the valedictorian of the class was meant to receive a college scholarship, Irene was passed over for the scholarship because she was in the business program.  The scholarship was instead given to the salutatorian, who was in the academic program, who in turn used the scholarship at the business school Irene hoped to attend.

This was not Irene’s first time facing adversity, however, and she worked full time at Gortz Girls Factory on Hudson Road in Plains during the day while putting herself through Wilkes-Barre Business College night courses.  Following completion of her business program, her first position was as secretary to Attorney Joseph Kozak in the newly formed Legal Aid Society at the Luzerne County Courthouse, where she worked for several years.  Recognizing her abilities, Attorney Kozak urged Irene to leave the area and find a better position, whereupon she moved to Wilmington, Delaware and began working in the Explosives Department at E.I. Dupont.

Irene was again recognized by her superiors and was transferred to the Chicago Branch in 1966.  She remained in Illinois for the rest of her career, volunteered at Fox Valley Hospice in Geneva, Illinois for 15 years, and beginning of her retirement, returning to Pennsylvania in 2005.

Besides being our family’s 1,000-piece puzzle and word jumble champion, Irene’s other interests included reading (sometimes three or four books at a time), painting, and especially travel, everywhere and at the drop of a hat.

A devout Catholic, Irene was a member of St. John Neumann Church, St. Charles, IL and Gate of Heaven Parish in Dallas, PA, where she sang in the choir.

Irene will always be remembered and missed by her brother Louis F. Meren and sister Joanne L. Taras (Stephen), nieces and nephews Kerry Meren (Paul Freedman), Eileen Bittner (Kevin), Colin Scharding-Taras (Shea), Chelsea Fazzino (David), and Curtis Scharding-Taras (Erika Berrocal) and great-nieces and great-nephews Gillian Freedman, Emmett Freedman (Anne), Patrick Bittner (Samantha), Shannon Bittner, Stella Fazzino, and Penelope Fazzino.

The family would like to express their thanks to Mercy Center, Tiffany Court, and Highland Park, Bridges Unit, for their care of Irene during her battle with dementia over the years.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, July 26, 2024 at 10:00 am at Gate of Heaven Church, 40 Machell Avenue, Dallas PA 18612.  Interment will be held in the Italian Independent Cemetery, West Wyoming PA. Family and friends may call Friday morning from 9:00 am until the time of Mass at Gate of Heaven Church.  Irene loved jewel-toned colors, so feel free to wear some of her favorites like emerald green, sapphire and turquoise blue, violet and magenta.  Arrangements entrusted to the Corcoran Funeral Home, Inc., 20 South Main Street, Plains, PA  18705.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a contribution to the Conti/Meren Scholarship at Misericordia University, 301 Lake Street Dallas PA18612, or the Altar and Rosary Society of Gate of Heaven Church, Dallas PA.