Irene A. Johnson

Irene A. (Flynn) Johnson

Portsmouth, RI -Irene A. (Flynn) Johnson, 92, of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, died on July 8, 2023. She was the wife of Raymond J. Johnson, her loving and devoted husband.

Born in Brookline, MA on January 9, 1931, she was the daughter of the late Charles and Delia (Duggan) Flynn, who both emigrated from Galway, Ireland. Irene was very proud of her Irish heritage.

Irene was the Assistant to the Town Administrator for the Town of Brookline, MA for many years, retiring in 1993. She was a volunteer at Hospice in Portsmouth, RI and a Nursing Home Ombudsman for several years following her retirement, visiting many nursing homes on Aquidneck Island. Irene was a communicant of St. Mary's Church in Newport, RI.

Irene loved to travel and spend time with her grandchildren, Katie and Michael, whom she loved dearly. She felt especially blessed to have 2 great-grandsons, Lukas and Alex, and cherished the time spent with them.

Irene is survived by her loving family, her husband Raymond; her daughter, Donna Giblin and her husband Edward of Portsmouth,RI; her granddaughter, Kathleen Grotteberg and her husband Paul of Bristol, RI and their sons, Irene's great-grandsons, Lukas and Alex; her grandson, Michael Giblin and his wife, Ellie Merritt of Washington, DC. She is also survived by her brother, John Flynn, of Scituate, MA.

Irene is preceded in death by siblings; Mary Flynn, Katherine McCann, Charles Flynn and Margaret (Terry)Dwyer. She is also preceded in death by her dear life-long friends from childhood, Marion Elwood and Geraldine Morgan White.

We would like to express our love and gratitude to Irene's team of caregivers, who helped care for Irene with such devotion; most notably Sheri Negalha and Reyna Lopez, who loved her through her difficult journey, truly her angels on earth.

Visiting hours will be held on Friday August 4, 2023 from 5-8 pm at Memorial Funeral Home 375 Broadway in Newport.
Her Mass of Christian burial will be held on Saturday August 5, 2023 at 10:00 AM at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Newport.
Burial will be private.

Donations in her memory may be made to Visiting Nurse Home and Hospice, 1184 East Main Road Portsmouth, RI 02871, St. Mary's Catholic Church, 18 Williams Street Newport, RI 02840 or to the Lewy-Body Dementia Association, 912 Killian Hill Road, S.W., Lilburn, GA 30047 or online at https://www.lbda.org/ (Charity Navigator - This charity's score is 92%, earning it a Four-Star rating. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence.)