Irene Yvette Letendre

SPRINGFIELD – Irene Y. (Gardner) Letendre, 85, died Monday, May 2, 2011 at Mercy Medical Center. She was born in St. Zepherin, Canada on September 5, 1925 to the late Arthur and Yvonne (Moulin) Gardner. Irene attended schools in Canada and was a former member of the St. Anne’s Sodality in Canada. She moved to the United States as a young adult. She was a longtime parishioner of St. Anthony of Padua Church in Chicopee. Irene spent her early years raising her five children. Once her children went to school, Irene entered the workforce and worked as a Seamstress for the former Totsy Manufacturing in Holyoke, where she retired after many years of service. Throughout her life, Irene truly enjoyed to cook for her family and for get-togethers, especially holiday dinners. After her retirement, Irene loved to spend time with her friends and enjoyed spending the day at the mall. Irene was predeceased by her loving husband, Onil Letendre on March 22, 1990 after over forty-five years of marriage. She leaves on this earth to cherish her memory, her four sons, Rene G. Letendre and his wife Debra of Palmer, Richard A. Letendre and his wife Micheline of Chicopee, Renald E. Letendre and his wife Ann of Chicopee and Daniel J. Letendre and his wife Alethea of Chicopee; her daughter, Francine H. Hemingway and her husband Glenn of Summerfield, FL; her brother, Martin Gardner of Canada; her four sisters, Beth Letourneau, Francoise Leclerc, Sister Jean Derc Gardner SSJ and Marceline Lemire all of Canada; her thirteen grandchildren and her sixteen great grandchildren. In addition to her parents and her husband, Irene was also predeceased by three brothers, two sisters and one great granddaughter. A funeral procession will form on Friday, May 6 at 8:45 a.m. at the Brunelle Funeral Home, 811 Chicopee St. Chicopee. There will be a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Chicopee. Burial will follow the Liturgy in St. Rose de Lima Cemetery in Chicopee. Family and friends will gather on Thursday, May 5 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home, to celebrate Irene’s life. Memorial contributions may be made in Irene’s memory, to a charity of one’s choice. Please visit www.brunellefuneralhome.com for directions or to share a memory with Irene’s family.