Irene Mary Louise Adams Marsh

1932 - 2018

Irene Mary Louise Adams Marsh

Phoenix - Our beloved matriarch, Irene Mary Louise Adams Marsh, passed away on September 24, 2018 at the age of 86. She was surrounded by loved ones in her final days.

Irene was born August 6, 1932 in Montgomery, PA. to Joseph and Irene Adams, nee Fiugalski. An only child, she developed a love for reading early on that fed her curious nature until the very end. She graduated from catholic high school and briefly studied at West Chester State Teachers College before working for Harleysville Insurance.

Irene was married December 26, 1959 to Warren Marsh and they moved to Phoenix in 1962. They spent many weekends camping on the beach in Rocky Point, Mexico and exploring the mountain country of northern Arizona.

Before adopting their first son Joseph in 1968, Irene and Warren suffered 13 miscarriages. They followed Joey's arrival with their daughter Irene's adoption in 1969. In 1970, Irene became pregnant again and miraculously Warren III was born. As the three children were growing up, they had a cabin in Forest Lakes, AZ where they spent much time over the years.

In 1974, after fifteen years of marriage, Irene and Warren divorced and she eventually settled in Tempe, AZ.

Irene went back to school to earn a degree and license as a Registered Nurse. She retired from Maricopa County hospital in Phoenix and later volunteered as a camp nurse for the Muscular Dystrophy Association in Heber, AZ. She routinely supported church and charity through donation.

Irene cherished her close family relationships and time spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She enjoyed new and old friendships, road trips, experimenting with new recipes, classical music, adventurous dining, and reading the newspaper in the morning sun.

Her gregarious personality brought joy to everyone she met and she will forever be remembered for her sparkly blue eyes and charm. Even in her final days, her spirit shined through a timely raised eyebrow or a witty exchange.

She is survived by her three children, Joseph (Wendy) Marsh, Irene Small, nee Marsh and Warren Marsh III; 8 grandchildren, Whitney, Chelsea, Zackary, Destiny, Timothy, Jacob, Paige and Jack; 5 great-grandchildren, Owyn, Joel, Riley, Zackary and Zander; her first husband Warren (Jan) Marsh; and her partner of many years, Manuel Lopez.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Gertrude's restaurant at the Desert Botanical Gardens from 3:00pm - 5:00pm on November 17, 2018.