Obituaries

Irene J. Garner

Irene J. Garner passed away quietly at home in Hampton Bays, N.Y., on Dec. 11, 2021. She was 97 years old.

Irene grew up on the Sledjeski family farm in Mattituck with her three brothers and five sisters. She was the last surviving of the Sledjeski children.

She graduated from Mattituck High School in 1942, and eventually attended beautician school in Jersey City. She met David Garner by chance on an Amtrak train in September 1943. They dated for a brief time until David went off to Europe in the army during World War II. Dave was shot during the war in Germany and eventually ended up in a hospital in Staten Island, N.Y., where Irene started visiting, and their relationship grew.

Irene and Dave were married in April 1946 and purchased a home on Washington Avenue in Greenport in 1948. Their first child, Jean, was born in September 1948. Dave fixed up the front porch at their home so Irene could start her own beautician business and take care of Jean.

David, their second child, was born in 1956, and Irene’s Beauty shop was thriving by that time. 

Irene continued to work in her beauty shop for almost 50 years, into her early 70s. She loved her business and her many Greenport customers, two of whom Irene still did until they reached 100! Irene finally moved into her daughter’s home at the age of 90 and stayed there until her passing.

She enjoyed cooking, crossword puzzles and spending time with her family, especially her great-grandchildren in her later years.

She was predeceased by her husband of 36 years, David A. Garner.

Irene is survived by her daughter, Jean McGee, and son-in-law Larry McGee of Hampton Bays and her son, David C. Garner, and daughter-in-law Joette Garner of Milton, Del. Her grandchildren are Dan McGee (Diana), Andrew McGee (Michelle), Jake Garner and Adam Garner. Her great-grandchildren are Matthew McGee and Dylan McGee.

A funeral Mass will be held at St. Agnes R.C. Church in Greenport at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 24.

Horton-Mathie Funeral Home in Greenport assisted the family.

This is a paid notice.