Loved her plants. Pete and Irene moved to Florida in 1975 and began managing mobile home and RV parks in Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda including Kozy Knook, Charlotte Harbor trailer park and Alligator Park. In their spare time, they enjoyed RV-ing, boating and playing cards with friends. Pete passed away of lung cancer in 1989. Irene went on to meet and marry Robert Barchus of Port Charlotte, They enjoyed retirement to the hilt. They loved to go fishing and enjoyed many sunsets over Charlotte Harbor. Bob passed away in 1995 of lung cancer after 4 years of marriage. Irene went on to enjoy life with friends and her daughter Sharon. She loved the beach, especially Boca Grande. She loved her New England Patriots and was often found leading the "wave" while shouting "Whoop Whoop" dressed from head to toe in Patriots attire. She loved music and she enjoyed going to the Moose Lodge Tiki Bar in Port Charlotte with her daughter to be outdoors, sipping on a glass of White Zinfandel, listening to song requests by Johnny Cash, Garth Brooks and Elvis. She also enjoyed several musical shows at the Cultural Center Theater and Visani's Comedy Club, where she got to enjoy her favorite Elvis Presley impersonator, Dwight Isenhower. Always the first in line to receive a silk scarf and a kiss from Dwight. She made many friends over the years at his shows. Irene devoted an entire room to proudly display over 20 autographed scarves and photographs of Dwight. Irene enjoyed watching Wheel of Fortune and The Price is Right and of course, "her stories", General Hospital and The Young and the Restless, while working a crossword puzzle or reading a spicy novel. She loved to play the card game "skip-bo" with her daughter while sipping a glass of White Zinfandel and a shot of honey whisky cold right out of the freezer. She so enjoyed going to yard sales and poking through thrift shops hoping to find a little trinket to add to one of her many collections. And collections she had! She collected ceramic dogs, cats, birds, angels, dolphins, teddy bears, decorative straw hats, wine corks. She owned over 400 VHS movies. Among her favorites were Dirty Dancing (she loved Patrick Swayze) and the Sound of Music. She thoroughly enjoyed life. One of the highlights of her life was a trip to Graceland with daughter Sharon last year. She loved that. Irene will be remembered as a quick witted, spunky, people person who made friends everywhere she went. She had a great sense of humor and was very funny. One of her favorite sayings was, "Damn right!" Irene is preceded in death by her parents, John and Nellie Kaufman, sister Dorothy D'Amelio and her brother Robert Kaufman, all of Franklin, MA as well as her three husbands. She leaves behind her sister, Shirley Pettit of Franklin and her brother John Kaufman of NC. Her daughter, Sharon LePorin of Punta Gorda, FL, her son, Richard Gauthier of RI, many nieces, nephews and grandson Rob Gauthier of RI and very dear longtime friends, Betty Polak whom she met way back when she was working at The Woonsocket Rubber Co. Betty came down from RIto join in Irene's 89th birthday festivities in March of this year. Also, John and DeeDee Butherus and Joyce Sbarbori, whom she loved and thought of them as family, they expressed their love and support daily until her passing. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. A Celebration of Life will take place at a later date.
Kays-Ponger & Uselton Funeral Homes & Cremation Services
Port Charlotte, FL 33952
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