Irena Mathilda McGrady

Irena Mathilda Augusta Peelaerts-McGrady, “Eraine”, age 91, passed peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, February 16, 2020. She was a beloved piano teacher for twenty years serving the Spokane area, passing her appreciation of music to all her children and students. She was preceded in death by her husband of over thirty years, Gale Charles McGrady, son John F. McGrady and brother August Peelaerts. She was born on April 30, 1928 to Joannes Ludovicus Peelaerts and Maria Julia Dieltjens in Herentals, Belgium.

Irena is survived by her loving family; daughter and husband Gale and Frank Cardwell of Moses Lake, WA, grandson Justin Cardwell and his two sons, Cohen and Lucas Cardwell from Pasco, WA; grandson Paul Cardwell and his daughters, Courtlynn and Laurelynn of Moses Lake, WA and granddaughter Rain McGrady and her two daughters from Roseburg, OR; and in Belgium nephews Jan, Geert Peelaerts; nieces Hilde and Chris Peelaerts and all their families.

Irena graduated from the Belgian Conservatory of Music at the age of eighteen, received her BA degree from Eastern Washington University in 1996, and received her board certification in music from

Washington State. She was a member of the Spokane Music Teachers Association.

She began her accounting career in Las Vegas, Nevada and continued to work civil service USAF while her husband completed his thirty years in the USAF which enabled them to travel and live all over Europe, the United States, and Labrador. Her husband, Gale was Chief of Transportation at Fairchild AFB and she was head of Accounting and Finance for many years at Fairchild. She served the Catholic Church as an organist, pianist, and choir director during her career. She was fluent in seven languages and assisted vocalists in language training.

Irena met her husband, Gale C. McGrady, “Mac”, when he served in the US Army who liberated her hometown, Herentals, Belgium at the end of WWII. He had reached Herentals after surviving the Normandy Landing. Irena’s father invited “Mac” to come over to his home for dinner and asked his daughter, Irena, to play the piano for them. They married in 1946 in Herentals, Belgium and from there they traveled and lived in many parts of Europe. Her son John, was born in Germany and her daughter, Gale, was born in France. Over the course of his military career, her husband served two years in the Vietnam War and two years in the Korean War. He passed away in 1978 in Spokane from the service-related death from radiation exposure cancer from 1950’s nuclear bomb testing while stationed at Nellis AFB, Nevada.

Irena was immensely proud of her children and was able to spend time with her great grandchildren in her last years. She gifted them with the love of music of all genres and played the piano until her passing. She leaves behind nothing but beautiful memories built on a foundation of appreciation of music from early childhood on. She was a very strong woman, a three cancer survivor, and after growing up as a child during the occupation and war, she instilled how important it is to enjoy life each and every day.

Her favorite quote was, “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” –Plato

The Rosary will be held Feb. 27, 2020 at 7:00 pm at St. Aloysius Church at Gonzaga, 330 E. Boone Ave., Spokane, WA and the Funeral Mass will be held Feb. 28 at 11:00 am at St. Aloysius Church followed by a reception at O’Malley Hall at the church.