Irene I. (Glancey) Cairns, 88, of Portland, passed away peacefully on September 19, 2018 at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House. She was born October 14, 1929 in Glasgow, Scotland, a daughter of William and Margaret (Verdin) Glancey.
Irene earned her R.N. degree at the Western Infirmary in Glasgow, and specialized in midwifery. She loved to tell stories of how, as a midwife, she was flown in a single engine plane to the Hebrides of northern Scotland where, while she delivered the baby, the pilot would have a dram of scotch at the pub before flying home.
Wanting to experience the world, she emigrated to Canada in her 20's. Her future husband, Thomas Cairns, followed, and they were married in Toronto in 1957. The young couple moved to New York City, and later to Tiburon, California. When Tom died suddenly in 1968 Irene moved back to Scotland to raise her two young daughters Ana and Trish near extended family.
As a single mother in Glasgow, Irene taught childcare to unwed, teenage mothers, and staffed the medical department at Prestwick Airport. In 1979 Irene emigrated back to New York where she felt she could give her daughters more opportunity. There, she worked as a neonatal intensive care nurse at Long Island Jewish-Schreiber Children’s Hospital, and in the student health center at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine where her daughter Ana was a medical student.
Irene was always there for her daughters. She valued love, laughter and an education “that will float in a flood, pet”. She provided a home that was relaxed with humor and happiness. She was a gourmet cook who broke the bonds of bland British cuisine.
She felt fortunate that she had the opportunity to travel widely with her sister Celia who was a ground stewardess for Pan American Airways at New York’s Kennedy Airport. This deepened her appreciation of people from different cultures, often less fortunate than herself, particularly children in need.
Irene retired to Portland, Maine in 1995 to be near her daughter Ana and family. She was active in the Women’s Literary Union. She enjoyed gardening, playing bridge with friends, as well as many days on Maine beaches and golf courses. She loved music and played piano into her later years.
In addition to her parents, Irene was predeceased by her husband, Thomas J. Cairns, and her siblings Gerald Glancey, Rita Herley, and Celia Glancey.
She is survived by her daughter Dr. Ana Cairns a pediatric pulmonologist at Maine Medical Center, and husband Rich Bazarian, MD of Falmouth, ME; daughter Dr. Trish Cairns a veterinarian and husband Darren Baker, Ph.D. of Hingham, MA; and 5 grandchildren: Tommy and Brooke Bazarian; Cameron, Jacqui and Graeme Baker, as well as numerous nieces and nephews in Great Britain and New Zealand.
Through easy and hard times, Irene maintained her sense of humor and succeeded in teaching all of her grandchildren to appreciate Scottish sarcasm. She delighted in all aspects of her grandchildren’s lives including music and theatre.
The family would like to thank the staff at Avita of Stroudwater and Foreside Harbor for their kindness and caring.
A service of remembrance and interment in the Churchyard at the Episcopal Church of St. Mary's, Falmouth, ME will be held at a later date.
Donations in Irene’s memory may be made to Save the Children at https://www.savethechildren.org
Please visit www.jonesrichandbarnes.com to sign Irene's online guest book.
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