During the afternoon of April 19, 1964 in the hospital at Kincheloe Airforce base, after 17 hours of labor Linda gave birth to a screaming bouncing baby girl. She was promptly given the name Irene Denise. The name Irene was from her maternal grandma and the name Denise after a Nun. That's right folks.. a nun. After 3 days she was taken home to live in Sault Michigan with her mother, grandparents, and great grandma. Four generations in the same house, now that's family togetherness.
Everything went smoothly until 13 months later, when her baby sister, Christine was born. Linda claims that it was some time later that she realized that Irene was taking Christine's bottles and drinking them. Which certainly explained the baby being fussy.Sneaky little Irene. She liked to pick out her baby sister's clothes, get her diapers out and play the "little mama." This continued for years until...
Irene discovered that she was the boss over little sister and could get her to do just about anything. Then the fun began, but never in a hurtful way. The two girls never laid "hands on" one another, not once during their entire lives. It was just plain fun for Irene to pretend "Chrissy" was her little doll- picking her clothes out and doing her hair up in ponytails. This went on for years. Christine looked up to her big sister, Irene, and so all was well.
Irene always excelled in grade school. It was suggested twice during those years that she be moved ahead a grade. Her mother thought it best for her to remain with children her own age, so she did.
By the time Irene was 13 years old she had already lived in 5 different towns around the country. Her mother, sister, and her then moved back to Sault Michigan where they made a home for themselves. Irene was a typical teenager- a handful at times. She always had a peaceful, loving nature about her yet tried to be very independent and a bit adventurous. She started working part-time as a waitress when she was 14 at a local restaurant.She was well liked and did very well for someone so young.
At the age of 16 she married. Later she would leave high school but get her General Education Diploma. In the 8 years she was married, she would have first a son,"CJ" in 1983 and then give birth to her daughter Jessie in 1985. She never regretted her failed marriage for as she said, it gave her the children- "The best thing she ever did."
She continued to work throughout her entire life, mostly as a waitress- which she enjoyed because it allowed her to meet new people and as she said "sometimes new friends." She was sociable and loved to be out and around others but also found she was content in being alone to read a good book. Irene commented to her sister that a person most enjoy their own company as well as that of others in order to be happy.
She moved to Albuquerque New Mexico and lived there for years. She loved the climate there and did not miss the Northern cold and snow. She had developed an outgoing personality, which had enabled her to make some good friends wherever she went. She would return to her hometown, the Sault, on occasion to visit. She liked to travel and made trips to Florida, Alaska, Deleware and other states. She believed you only live once and should see and do as much as possible. While living in New Mexico, she developed skin cancer. She had surgery to have it removed and thought all was well.
Irene decided to move to Willsboro New York in May of 2011 to help a sick friend. While there her cancer returned but this time it was discovered to be much worse. She courageously faced her battle with cancer, having gone through numerous surgeries, radiation, and chemotherapy. She tried her best to stay positive and continued to do her good deeds for others throughout her treatment.Then finally, she was told that all seemed well, so the doctors would then go ahead to schedule reconstructive surgery.The hospital called on Tuesday December 18th, 2012 to give her the date for the surgery, which was to be January 10th, 2013. Tragically, just hours after recieving that call, she was rushed unconscious to the hospital due to a serious unknown medical condition. Never having woken, Irene died 4 days later with her children by her side on December 22, 2012.
This is but a fragment of the life of a beautiful soul, named Irene Esson.She appreciated life, was a good and faithful friend, and truly loved her family- which she had certainly shown to all.
-Angels