Irene P. Albee, 80, beloved mother, grandmother and friend, left this world to be reunited with her long-missed daughter ''Betty'' on Thursday, (September 14, 2006) at Manchester Memorial Hospital. She was born March 8, 1926, in Westfield, MA, the second of five daughters of Peter Pitkin and Mary Stone Pitkin, both originally from Lithuania. Irene grew up in East Hartford and was a 1944 graduate of East Hartford High School. After high school she worked as an Engineering Aide for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, where she met her future husband and life partner, Burton Albee. Living in Manchester for the last five decades, Irene and her husband raised four children. In addition to her family duties Irene was active in PTA, several bowling leagues and her church, first Our Lady of the Assumption and, later, St. James'. She had many great friends, and enjoyed charitable work. Irene was an artistic and creative force whose legacy includes the hundreds of hand-knitted afghans and sweater sets which she lovingly crafted, then bestowed upon friends and family alike. Irene leaves behind her grateful family, including Burton, her husband of nearly 59 years, and three surviving children and their spouses: John and Beth Albee of Austin, TX, Marianne and Ed DiAntonio of Ocoee, FL and Peter and Lisa Albee of Plantation, FL. She was predeceased by her youngest child, Elizabeth. Her grandchildren include Sean, Ian, Jennifer and Victoria Albee, and Alex and Emma DiAntonio. Funeral services will be held Saturday, September 16, at 9:15 a.m. at the Holmes Funeral Home, 400 Main St., Manchester, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. at St. James Church, 896 Main St., Manchester. Burial will be in St. James Cemetery. Calling hours will be held TODAY, from 4-7 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Irene's name to either The Alzheimer's Association, 279 New Britain Rd., Kensington, CT 06037 or the Susan G. Komen Fund for Breast Cancer Research, 350 Church St., Hartford, CT 06103.
Hartford Courant, The (CT)
Date: September 15, 2006
