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Irene Virginia O'Brien (Untener) passed away on April 11, 2020, after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease, at the age of 84. Irene was born Oct. 15, 1934 to Michael and Irene Untener in Yonkers, N.Y.
She graduated from Cochran School of Nursing in 1955. She then began a long career as a registered nurse. She began her nursing career working at St. John's Riverside Hospital in many positions. After leaving the hospital, she became the school nurse of Tuckahoe High School until 1978.
Irene married Robert (OB) O'Brien at St. John the Baptist Church in Yonkers in 1957. They had five children and resided in Yonkers until 1978. They then moved to York. She continued working as a nurse for the Red Lion VNA and finishing her RN career at Pleasant Acres Nursing Facility. While at Pleasant Acres, she helped to open up their dementia unit.
Irene was predeceased by her husband, OB, who also passed this year on Feb. 22, her daughter, Irene Knapp, and her parents, Michael and Irene Untener. She is survived by her children, Colleen Carpenter of Croton, N.Y., Noreen Duppstadt (Art) of York, Bobby O'Brien of York, and Sharon Melhorn (Mark) of Red Lion. Irene is also survived by her six grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and four granddogs.
Irene, along with Bob, started up the York County Special Olympics and continued to manage the York County Special Olympics for 14 years. Irene loved her family and friends and kept active throughout most of her life. Before being stricken by Alzheimer's, Irene and Bob retired to Waterville, where they lived out the rest of their lives, going to craft shows, traveling to Florida to see nursing school friends, or just going for drives and finding new places to explore.