Irene made the journey to her heavenly home on August 2, 2022 at St. Joseph Residence in Seattle, Washington. She was 99 years old,

Born November 30, 1922 in Seattle, the eighth of ten children of Louis and Hannah Blanchard. She grew up in the South Park neighborhood of Seattle and graduated from Cleveland High School in 1937.

Following graduation she entered the convent of the Sisters of Providence and was professed as Sister Ann Louise. She was educated at Seattle University, graduating with a BS degree in nursing and post graduate work in nursing administration. After 20 years in nursing education she left Providence services in 1961 and traveled to Iran as the Director of the School of Nursing.

Returning to the US she taught the LPN program at Seattle Community College. From 1967-1969 she volunteered with Catholic Relief Society to nurse with the Sisters of Our Lady of China in Taiwan.

She returned to the US in 1969 and continued her nursing career at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma where she met her husband Edward Marshall, they had 25 wonderful years together before he passed away in 1996. She met Neil Dufort in 2000 and they were married for 7 years until he passed away in 2007.Shortly after she moved to Spokane to be closer to her step-daughter.

She was very dedicated to daily Mass attendance and filled with a wonderful faith in Christ. Through her life she was a member of several parishes and at each one she was a devoted and reliable volunteer serving as Sacristan, home bound ministry, and as a Eucharist Minister. She was our family's prayer warrior and she will be missed immeasurably.

She is survived by her step-daughter, Lydia Veliz (Dan); Grandsons, Joshua Howard (Amber); Joseph Howard (Wendy); Benjamin Howard (Ember); 7 great-grandchildren and many much loved nieces and nephews.

Private family services to be held at Providence Mount St. Vincent, Internment at Sequim View Cemetery September 16th, 2022.