Irene Cirino

Irene was born in Poland into a loving family, with an older sister, Anny, and a younger brother, Bernard. Her early teenage years were spent running away from the Nazis with her family, through Belgium, France, and Switzerland; narrowly escaping the Nazis’ reach several times. Through the trauma of escape, survival, and hunger, she would be inextricably bonded to her siblings, and to one another. Settling after the war in Antwerp, Belgium, the family tried to pick up the pieces of their lives. Like her siblings, she worked and provided for the family. In about 1952, Irene married Bill Lewis. They had 2 children, Dominique and Steven. But Irene was his princess, and they loved vacationing throughout Europe. When Bill died of lung cancer in 1965, he was 47 years old.
It nearly destroyed her. Although broken, she was strong. The family moved to California when Steven and Dominique were 8 and 9, to be close to Bill’s cousin. The family loved California, the sun, the palm trees, and the kids loved their new school. Irene also seemed to thrive, under the California sun, listening to The Beach Boys on the radio in her brand new Mustang. After a few weeks living there, Dominique and Steven negotiated a secret deal to have a neighbor to take then to a store to buy Irene a birthday present. There, Dominique and Steven pooled their pocket monies, and bought a beautiful big, turquoise ceramic poodle. It made Irene smile, and that’s what they really wanted for her first birthday in America. In the late sixties, Irene would be courted by, and eventually married Robert Cirino.  The family moved to New York to live with Robert’s family. His loving, wonderful parents and Aunt made life fun, which resulted in many sweet memories. Irene made friends easily through her Tennis games, and her Womens’ Empowerment group. She identified with woman’s lib. She built herself into a strong empowered woman, whose support came from her friends. Irene was a devoted mother and wife, and later in the 1970’s  became a Real Estate Broker for a few years before eventually settling down as a receptionist in a doctor’s office for a few years. Later, she gave up Tennis as she no longer had the energy to play. Instead Irene took up Art and became a prolific painter, painting her own interpretation of Impressionism. She was also a confirmed chocoholic. As the years went on, she aged well; staying in touch with her tennis friends and women’s group friends. When Mom was 78, the first signs of Alzheimer’s showed up: a very different gait, afraid of the voices on TV, and “word salads”. The disease eventually took her wholely and left her a prisoner in her own body. God eventually opened the door to her imprisoned soul, letting her soar above the clouds. Irene and Robert moved to a Florida assisted living facility around 2013 to be close to Irene’s sister (Anny), but unfortunately Anny passed away 6 months later. Her family visited periodically, sometimes taking her shopping, out to lunch, or ordering in her favorite pizza and ice cream with chocolate sauce. As her dementia progressed, she would love sitting in her room and staring out on the pond through the window. Robert predeceased her. Losing Mom, made Steven and Dominique examine a great deal of their lives, and the time spent with her laughing, shopping, or simply watching her eat up a huge bowl of ice cream! We will miss her a great deal. Always having the fond memories of her laugh, advice given, the warmth of her hugs, and all those made up silly, affectionate names she called her loved ones. Irene is survived by her son and daughter, Steven (Deirdre) and Dominique (Harold). Her grandchildren are David Lewis and (Billy Jacobs (Rachel). Her great grandchildren are Eli Jacobs (6), and Max Jacobs (2 1/2).