Irene Ingram

Irene “Rene” Ingram passed away peacefully at home on January 21, 2021 at the age of 84 from Alzheimer’s disease.  She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister and friend.

Rene was born to Ben and Betty Finkel on June 21, 1936.  She graduated from Cuyahoga Falls High School in 1954 and got her degree in Elementary Education from Ohio State University in 1958.  She became a 1st grade school teacher in the North Royalton school district, but her career was sidelined when she reluctantly attended a party in November 1958.  It was here that she met the man who would sweep her off her feet and with whom she would spend the rest of her life, James A. Ingram (Jim).  She married Jim on June 16, 1960, raised five children, and built a loving home in Tallmadge for the next 60 years.

Although family was her focus, she believed in community as well.  She volunteered at Support Services of Akron where she answered phones for the suicide hotline.  Later, she took on a job as a Family Support Facilitator at Child Guidance Center of Akron.  Here, she shared her love and wisdom about parenting and childhood development with families in need.

Rene loved to sing, dance, hold hands, bowl, travel, play bridge, cook and bake. But most of all, she cherished her family.  This deep love for her husband and children lasted through six decades and will continue as precious memories long into the future.

Irene is preceded in death by her parents, her sister Beatrice, and her son, Daniel. 

She leaves behind her husband, Jim; her children, Michael (Leslyn), Andrea, Jeff, and David (Jodie); six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

You can love me most by

Sharing your goodness and

Multiplying your acts of kindness

You can love me most by

Letting me live in your eyes

And not in your mind

And when you say Kaddish for me

Remember what our Torah teaches,

Love doesn't die, People do

So when all that's left of me is love

Give me away.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer’s Association Foundation would be greatly appreciated:  https://alzfdn.org/support-us/donate/ or call (330) 650-0552.

Private services were held by the family.

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