Obituary of Irene K. Monroe

Bangor – Irene (Kells) Monroe, 93, wife of the late Ralph N. Monroe, died  January 16, 2019 at a Bangor health ceneter. She was born  May 7, 1925 in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of Alexander and Catherine (Keaney) Kells.

Born in Michigan, and growing up during the depression, Irene's family moved to New York in the early 1930s. She was working as an executive secretary in New York City during World War II when she met the love of her life, Ralph N. Monroe from Lubec, Maine, who was serving on the destroyer escort, U.S.S. Ramsden. They spent much of their married life in Portland, Maine, later moving to Bangor to be nearer their daughter, Diane. Irene was a communicant of St. John's Catholic Church, Bangor.

Surviving are her daughter, Diane Monroe Smith and her son-in-law, Ned of Holden; two grandsons, Robert Smith and his wife Amy and Alexander Smith; three great grandsons, Liam, Jonah and Finley. Irene was predeceased by her husband, her parents, by a brother, Frederick and a sister, Sheila.

Friends and family may visit 11AM to 12:15 PM Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019 at Kiley & Foley Funeral Service, 69 State St., Brewer. After the visitation, A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1 PM Wednesday at St. Paul the Apostle Parish, St. John’s Catholic Church, York St., Bangor. Burial will be at Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Augusta. For those who wish, memorial contributions may be made to the Maine Veterans Home, Activity Fund, 44 Hogan Road, Bangor, ME  04401. Arrangements trusted to Kiley & Foley Funeral Service, Bangor and Brewer and messages and memories may be shared with her family at kileyandfoley.com.