Submitted by: Dan Rich

 

Irene Gammon

Oct. 4, 1929 - May 18, 2007

                                       

South Bend Tribune 5/22/2007

SOUTH BEND -- Irene Gammon, 77, former City Clerk of South Bend, IN, died peacefully on Saturday, May 19, in the Virginia Hospital Center, Arlington, VA. Irene was born in Mishawaka, IN, on October 4th, 1929, to Sterina (Canarecci) and Primo Valdinocci. She graduated from Mishawaka High School in 1947 and on August 26th, 1950, married her high school sweetheart, Hugh Gammon, who passed away in 1983.

 

Irene's great love of life and people inspired and led her throughout her private and public life. In 1949, at the age of 19, Irene unknowingly started her lifelong career of public service. Her first job was with the St. Joseph County Treasurer's office and then the County Auditor's office. Next, she started working in the Portage Township Assessor's office, where she found her mentor who became a lifelong dear friend, Ideal Baldoni. Under Idey's tutelage, as the St. Joe County Democratic chair, Irene learned grassroots campaigning, from JFK to Bobby Kennedy's campaign and all the other local elections in between. By 1971 Irene was ready to run for elected office and successfully won the position of City Clerk. She loved her service to the city and continued to serve through five additional election cycles - a total of 24 years as City Clerk. Embracing the challenges of the clerk's office, she worked at expanding her knowledge of her new position and became a certified Municipal Clerk in 1979. She later served as the president of the Indiana League of Municipal Clerks Association. Irene was an active member of the professional women's Altrusa Association, and served as secretary of the St. Joseph Democratic Central Committee. Irene received the Sagamore of the Wabash Award from Governor Evan Bayh in recognition of her years of distinguished service to St. Joseph County and the City of South Bend for over 47 years. Even in her personal life, Irene stepped up to help where she could. Her sharpened skill of note-taking led her to serve as the secretary of the Italian American Heritage Society and secretary of the Indian Lake Club for over 40 years. Her commitment and devotion to her family and friends was an inspiration to all whom she touched.

 

She is survived by her beloved daughter, Lisa, and son-in-law Dave Delgado; as well as a sister-in-law, Wanda Valdinocci; and nephew, Denis (Denise) Valdinocci. Irene has lived with Lisa and Dave the past nine years, thoroughly enjoying Dave's Air Force career assignments and the places that it took them. From the political classes at Harvard, to living a couple miles from Washington, DC, even the boiled peanuts in Georgia were a treat to be savored... any place was a great place as long as she was with her family. Irene fought a 16-year battle with interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, which may have slowed her down but never kept her at home. To the end, she was a fighter and didn't want to give up the life she loved. It was a tragic confluence of circumstances at the Arlington Hospital that struck unexpectedly and in a way that even her strong spirit and will could not recover from.

 

Friends may call between 3 and 8 p.m. on Thursday in the McGann Hay University Chapel at 2313 E. Edison Road, South Bend. Services will be at McGann Hay on Friday at 11 a.m.; burial will be following at Fairview Cemetery in Mishawaka. Memorial contributions may be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, 1332 N. Halsted St., Suite 201, Chicago, IL 60622