Roxie Irene Greer, Irene to everyone, passed on peacefully August 31, 2013 at Kadlec Hospital, Richland, Washington, surrounded by her family. Irene was born to William Tilford and Nellie Frances Allen on February 27, 1931 in Grays Knob, Kentucky. She was the fourth youngest of ten children and graduated from Grays Knob High School in 1949. Irene moved to Atlanta, Georgia and worked as a secretary for an Insurance Agency.

On August 22, 1953, Irene married the love of her life, Lawrence Greer who was stationed in the U.S. Army in Atlanta, Georgia. They moved to his family farm at Zumbro Falls, Minnesota while he continued his education in Minneapolis. They made the journey west in 1955 for a secret mission at Hanford, WA, working for General Electric. They pulled a two-wheel trailer with their belongings behind a black Ford sedan, making their home in Richland for almost 60 years. They established a new community and close friends as they adapted to the desert and windstorms with few trees, always managing to visit family in Kentucky and Minnesota yearly.

Irene was a homemaker while her children were young and later became a secretary for Westinghouse Hanford. She attended most every sporting, dance, music event possible to support her grandchildren and truly enjoyed being a grandmother, camping and building beach fires with each of them. Irene had a natural helping and giving disposition that was apparent to family and friends even as her health declined. She attended Southside United Protestant Church.

Irene is survived by her husband of 60 years, Lawrence, her two daughters, Sharon and her husband Jim Bixler and Diane and her husband John Bongers, both from Richland; her five grandchildren, Zachary Bixler, Annie Bixler, Max Bixler, Ashley Bongers, and Kyle Bongers and one remaining brother, Kenneth Allen, Augusta Georgia and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and infant twin grand-daughters.

There will be a memorial service for Irene on Saturday, September 7, at 12:30pm at Einan's Chapel. Contributions may be made to Southside United Protestant Church, 517 Jadwin Avenue, Richland, WA.