Lois Jean (Robinson) Irmer, age 70, of Dennis, died unexpectedly, March 27, 2013, at Cape Cod Hospital. She was the loving wife of Gerard D. Irmer. Born in Cross Creek Township, part of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, NC on April 22, 1942, she was the daughter of the late George O. and Nora Bell (Dorman) Robinson. She was known as “Jean” to most of her family. At the time of her birth, her parents were 49 and 48 years old respectively. Because her mother had a stroke and was bed ridden when Jean was young, she was sent to live with her older sister Grace in East Springfield, MA when she was 12.
From East Springfield Jean moved with her sister Grace and Grace’s husband Bill to Longmeadow and attended schools in Long Meadow and Marlboro. She transferred to St. Anne’s in Arlington, an Episcopal School which she loved and graduated from in 1962. During that summer she met the most handsome man in Provincetown who eventually became her husband of 48 years. In 1964 she graduated from Chamberlayne Junior College in Boston where she became a Medical Secretary.
Jean and Gerard were married on July 11, 1964 at St. Andrews Church in Longmeadow, while Jerry was attending BU. Following his graduation in August, they moved to Springfield, MA for 2 ½ years making it easier for Jerry to work for Pratt and Whitney Aircraft Co. in E. Hartford, CT. During that time she worked as a secretary at Chapman Valve Co. in Indian Orchard, MA and as Medical Secretary for a Doctor in Springfield. In 1966 Jean and Jerry moved to Danvers, when Jerry got a job at GE in Lynn. Their two children were born during this time so after her son was born in 1970, they moved to a larger home in Billerica for 9 years. In 1979 they moved to Boxford. During this time she worked at Analogic Co. in Danvers and for 9 years she was the proud owner of “Knook and Cranny,” a thrift shop that she operated at the Georgetown Shopping Center. She also worked at the Conservation Commission for the Town of Boxford for 8 years. In 2002 she and Jerry moved to Provincetown for a year while their house in Dennis was being completed. While living in Dennis she ran the “Rollin Racks” for 7 years, a thrift clothing center at the Dennis Senior Center. In 2003, the same year she moved to Dennis, she suffered a stroke.
Besides her husband Jerry, she is survived by her 2 children, Debbie (Irmer) Fuss and her husband David of Plymouth, and Barry Irmer and his wife Karen of Reading, her 3 grandchildren, Jennifer P. Fuss, and John D. and Kevin D. Irmer, her 3 sisters, Dorothy Matthews of Lancaster, PA, Pearl McMillan of Roseboro, NC, and Polly Reinholt of Holiday, FL and her brother George Robinson of Rockingham, NC.
A Funeral service will take place at 12:00pm on Friday April 5, 2013 at St. Mary of the Harbor Church 517 Commercial St. Provincetown. Visiting hours are prior to the service from 9:30-11:30am at the Gately Funeral Home 94 Harry Kemp Way Provincetown, MA. If desired, memorial contributions in honor of Jean may be made to the American Heart Association 20 Speen St. Framingham, MA 01701 or at WWW.heart.org.