Irene Marie Murphy Pfeifer

1934 - 2022

July 21, 1934 - December 27, 2022 Irene Marie Murphy Pfeifer was born on a hot day, July 21st, 1934, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Irene, passed away peacefully on December 27, 2022, on a fine, rainy night. Her proud, Irish immigrant parents moved from Tulsa, Oklahoma, during the Dust Bowl to Laguna Beach, where Irene and her sister, Maureen, attended a small convent school staffed by Dominican nuns from Cuba. When the family moved to Santa Ana, she attended St. Anne's, then spent a year at Marywood in Anaheim, and finally, her last year at Santa Ana High School. During these school years, Irene met and kept several true and golden friends. Irene then graduated from Santa Ana College, where she met her husband, Tom Pfeifer. Before Tom and Irene married, they had the same fun that most young adults have with their friends- rides to the beach and up to Saddleback Mountain, meeting at the local drive-thru/diner on Main Street in Santa Ana for malts and hamburgers and going to parties where they played games and cards. They married in 1955 and had a family of seven children, Rose, Tom, Peg, Tim, Beth, Jeremy and Toby. During the early years of the family, Irene sent her kids to St. Justin Martyr School and Church, where she often volunteered at the school festivals or wherever needed. During this time, Irene was a Brownie, Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader. She made time for fun for herself by playing volleyball with the other mothers of St. Justin and having Christmas cookie parties. Also, during this time, 1973 to be exact, Irene started working at Disneyland where she continued to enjoy life. Throughout her almost three decades at Disneyland working mainly in the Emporium, Irene volunteered many years with the Disney "VoluntEARS", she also trained Tokyo Disney cast members and on one of her birthdays, she rode in the tail of Pete's Dragon Electrical Parade's float. Most importantly though, Irene made many, true, longtime friends there. After Irene retired from Disneyland, she became a two- term President of the Disneyland "Golden Ears" as well as other "Golden Ears" committee positions. She faithfully continued to support the OC Register, enjoying doing the crossword puzzles and reading the comics, Family Circus being her favorite. Early in her retirement, she swam in the morning at the local YWCA, took chair yoga classes and volunteered for ESL classes. Later, she joined a literature group, the St. Justin Martyr altar group, volunteered for the YMCA Women's Auxiliary, and watched Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune pretty much every weeknight. She also continued to meet her early childhood school friends to play cards and share stories and memories. Irene also began taking a creative writing class at the Brookhurst Community Center where she met every Wednesday afternoon for years, writing about her life and other human-interest stories and making good friends. Irene visited Ireland several times to see her mother and daddy's homes, meet her Irish cousins and to just enjoy the Irish culture. Irene also travelled to many other European countries by ship, ferry, boat, train, bus, plane, taxi and car. Irene's Catholic faith, her family, reading, gardening and natural curiosity were her constant pleasures. Her children, 10 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, brother, Don, sister, Kathy, nieces, nephew, and many dear friends have many lovely memories of Irene, and all love her "lots and lots." Irene's Memorial Mass will be held Saturday, March 11, 2023, 10am, at St. Justin Martyr Church, 2050 W. Ball Rd., Anaheim, 92804. Immediately after the mass, we will celebrate her life in the garden next to the convent. Irene will then be placed at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery, Santiago Canyon Road, Orange, overlooking Saddleback Mountain.