Irene Hamilton

She was born May 11, 1909 in Grand Isle, Maine, daughter of Amable (Mack) Tardiff and Euphemie M. Ouellette Tardiff.

She was a graduate of Goodwill High School, Hinckley, Maine in 1928. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Colby College, Waterville, Maine in 1932 and her Master’s Degree from the University of Maine in Orono in 1953.

Mrs. Hamilton started her teaching career at Freedom Academy. Subsequently, she taught at Telstar High School in Andover, Maine and Skowhegan High School, where she taught French, Spanish and Geography. She moved to Portland, Maine and taught at Deering High School. While at Deering she became Department Chairman. After her retirement from Deering, she taught Spanish at Katherine McCauley High School, in Portland for three years and retired in 1979.

While in Skowhegan, she was the recipient of the Frank M. Gilley Scholarship. Mr. Gilley, a Harvard professor, provided a fund to be used to pay for international trips. Mr. Gilley desired that teachers go into the country districts of France and, live in Private homes in order to acquire the common spoken language of the people and to observe the daily life and customs of the people. Mrs. Hamilton had to prepare her own itinerary, selecting places of interest to her. She wrote to the Chamber of Commerce of various communities in order to confirm the homes in which she would reside. She considered these trips very valuable, not only for teaching the French language but teaching the French customs/ culture to her students.

While at Deering High School in Portland, under the auspices of the Foreign Language League of Salt Lake City, she escorted two groups of students to France to study the languages and culture of the French people. The first group, during the summer of 1966, spent three weeks in Evian les Bains on Lake Geneva and three weeks in Versailles. The second group, during the summer of 1969 went to Antibles, on the French Riviera and in Rembouillet. Mornings were spent in class; afternoons were used for local excursions which included museums, churches or whatever was of interest in the area where they were staying. Swimming, basketball and volleyball were a few of the activities available to the League participants. Weekends usually were occupied in longer over night excursions. She particularly enjoyed the trips to France, as both she and her students were able to enjoy and study the historic cities, museums, artists and customs.

Mrs. Hamilton was a former member of the American Association of Teacher of French and the Portland Chapter of L’Alliance Francoise. For many years, until her death, she was a member of the Maine Education Association; the Maine State Retirement system; the Somerset Retired Teachers Association and of Xi Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma. She was also a past president of the Beta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma while teaching in Portland.

Mrs. Hamilton loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She liked to knit, crochet and embroider. She was an avid reader, enjoyed playing bridge, doing crossword puzzles and loved to cook. She spent her summers at Lake Wesserunsett where she enjoyed her summer retreat with all the outdoor activities and visits with family and friends.

She is survived by a son Austin L. Quirion and wife Angela of Skowhegan, Maine and Hudson, Florida; a daughter, Deane Q. King and her husband Richard also of Skowhegan and Hudson; one sister, Althea T. Smith of Houston, TX; two brothers, Dr. Donald M. Tardiff and his wife Lynn of East Weymouth, Massachusetts and Richard C. Tardiff of Whitesboro, New York; six grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

She is predeceased by her parents, two brothers, Lewis J. Tardiff and C. Emery Tardiff of Fairfield, also two sisters, Sr. Mary Christina (Aurice) of South Bend, Indiana and Lucille T. Stevens of Akron Ohio.

At her request, there will be no calling hours. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at a later date to be announced. Burial will be at Saint Francis Cemetery in Waterville, Maine at a later date.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Smart & Edwards Funeral Home, 183 Madison Ave., Skowhegan, Maine.

In lieu of flowers, and at her request, memorial donations may be made payable to the Irene T. Hamilton Scholarship Fund and sent to: Skowhegan Area High School, c/o Jane Bigelow, 61 Academy Circle, Skowhegan, Maine 04976

Notes of remembrance may be left for the family at www.smartandedwardsfh.com