Irene (MacInnis) Clarke

Irene Clarke

Balls Creek

Irene Clarke of Balls Creek passed with loving family by her side on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 at Northside General Hospital after surviving several battles with her health.

Born in North Sydney on October 16, 1945, Irene was the daughter of late Roy and Helen (Burns) MacInnis of Frenchvale. She first worked with her life-long best friend and neighbor, Dee Dee (Wayne) Jackson, at the Highland Motel in Upper North Sydney. She later worked at Nickerson’s Fish Plant while raising four children and caring for her late mother. In her later years, Irene worked as a dispatcher for three local shuttle services until she finally retired at the age of 72. She will be always remembered for her volunteer work as the “Hot Dog Lady” at Balls Creek Elementary. Family was everything and she was Mom to many.

Irene is survived by her sons: Ron (Jennifer), Troy (Jeannie); daughters: Barb (Jody), Shauna; grandchildren Stephen (Debra), Robert, Arthur, Samantha, Jeffrey, Crystal and Briauna; great-grandchildren Alice and Jasper; Nanny’s fur-baby Luna; her sister Marg Findlay of Ontario; brother Alex of Edwardsville; sister-in-law Kathy MacInnis of Point Edward, also many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was predeceased by her husband, Cecil Clarke; her partner, Willie MacIntyre; sisters Minnie, Marie, Grace; her brother Harry; brothers-in-law Al, Willie, Roddie, Earl and Sam; sisters-in-law Dot, Mary and Sue.

On behalf of our mother we would like to thank the many Nurses and Homecare workers that Mom was blessed to have by her side.

A visitation for Irene will be held from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, May 7, in the W.J. Dooley Funeral Home, 107 Pleasant Street, North Sydney. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday in the Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Peter Rafuse officiating.  Burial will take place in St. Mark Cemetery, Coxheath at a later date.

Memorial donations may be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation. Online condolences can be left for the family by writing on the tribute wall of the obituary page at www.wjdooley.com

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