M. Irene Harnish

M. Irene (Hill)(Barton)Harnish, died 19 September 2017.  She was born in Jennings, Michigan March 3, 1932.  God has a wonderful special place for her in heaven. In 1989 Irene retired after many years as a Department of Army, non-appropriated fund budget analyst, at Fort G. Meade, Maryland.  In this capacity one of her responsibilities was performing budget analyses for outlying Army posts.  She was always excited on these trips as the sole passenger on the helicopter assigned to transport her to these sites.  Her prior government positions included manager of the Fort George G. Meade bowling lanes and guest house.  Irene was proud to be a U.S. Army wife.  She coped with all the inherent problems of raising six children on military posts in the U.S. and in Europe.  She found herself  caring for her family as a lone parent while her husband Jim was away on year-long non-accompanied overseas tours.  She was an amazing woman, capable of doing anything she set her mind to do, from single handedly installing aluminum siding on a house to shepherding multiple children on a transatlantic military flights.  She easily handled any challenge that faced her. Irene was a Life Member in the, Benevolent and Patriotic Order of DOES, Titusville Drove 183.  She served as President, District President, and Five Year Officer.  She also served as Trustee, Secretary, Treasurer, Conductor, and in many appointed positions during her 28 years of membership.  She greatly enjoyed the friendship and camaraderie of her sister DOES.  She is survived by her husband James of 63 years, six children, James Barton and wife Jill, of Rockledge, FL; Beverly Hays and husband Mike of Monroe City, MO; Cherise Harnish, of Titusville, FL; Wayne Harnish and wife Brenda of Dudley, GA; Mary Lynne Harnish and husband Michael, of Mims, FL; Steven Harnish and wife Tera of Severn, MD, sister Ruby Gilliland, of Wales, MI; brother Gordon Ponder, of Richmond, MI; 12 grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren. Memorial services will be held Tuesday, September 26, 2017 at 1PM at North Brevard Funeral Home.  Internment will be at the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery, Scottsmoor, FL at 3 PM

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