Mrs. Irene L. (Hamel) Durant Gamache, a longtime resident of Andover and beloved wife of Gracien “Jack” Gamache of Andover and the late George C. Durant, passed away at Wingate @ Andover Nursing Center on Tuesday morning, May 6, 2014. She was 97 years old.
Born in Canada on August 30, 1916, she was the beloved daughter of the late Hormidas and Mary (Bernard) Hamel. Irene was employed beside her husband at Town Printing in Andover for many years. She was a communicant of St. Augustine Church in Andover and was a very devoted wife, mother and grandmother.
She will be missed by her loving daughter-in-law: Mary T. Durant of Seabrook, New Hampshire, sister; Pauline Bissonette of Salisbury and Fort Myers, Florida, grandchildren: Keith Durant, Eric Durant, Todd Durant, Nicole Smith, Paul J. Durant, Jr., Christine Lutters, many great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She was also the loving mother of the late George K. Durant and Paul J. Durant and sister of the late Aurora Isabelle, Annette Bilodeau, Rita Bilodeau, and Nora Blanchette, Pete Hamel, Lucien Hamel, Freddy Hamel, Nellie Hamel, Johnny Hamel, and Chanel Hamel.
Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Augustine Church, 43 Essex Street, Andover on Friday, May 9, 2014, at 10:30 am. Relatives and friends are most welcome to attend. Visitation will be held in the Burke-Magliozzi Funeral Home, 390 North Main Street, Andover on Friday, prior to the Mass, from 9 to 10 am. Interment will be held in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Andover. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Irene's memory may be made out to Wingate @ Andover, 80 Andover St., Andover, MA 01810 or to Merrimack Valley Hospice, 360 North Ave., Haverhill, MA 01830. Irene's family wishes to thank the staff of Wingate @ Andover and the Hospice Team of Merrimack Valley for the care and kindness shown to Mom and Nana. For additional information, please visit, www.burkemagliozzi.com.