Irene Melvina (Thomas) Jameson

Irene Melvina (Thomas) Jameson, 105, was born October 20, 1920, in a log cabin in rural Remer, MN to Ruth Irene (Mix) Thomas and Curtis Melvin Thomas. She lived in Arizona for 80 years before returning to her birth state in 2012 until her passing on Sunday, November 23,2025 at Mayo Methodist Hospital in Rochester.

Military Service: US Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade

Irene’s family left Remer, MN in 1923 and ultimately headed “west” in 1928 in a 1918 Buick and arrived in Arizona in 1929 deep in the depression for her mother’s and baby sister’s health. Irene was the eldest of eight children and witnessed poverty (living in 2 tents for 18 months) in Coldwater/Avondale experiencing the extremes of food insecurity, homelessness, and going without basic necessities like going to school barefoot until a teacher gave her a pair of shoes. She attended several schools in southern Arizona while her father was part of a team that strung telephone wires. Irene graduated from Phoenix Union High School in 1939 and made the decision to become a nurse through the Good Samaritan School of nursing in 1940 and graduated in May 1943 and ranked #7 on the Arizona State RN nursing boards in 1943. She enlisted in the Navy in July 1943 and received orders in September 1943 and was sent to San Diego. In November 1944 she received orders for Guam and became a charge nurse on the burn unit for pilots and soldiers. She would talk about the Japanese pilots’ dive bombing her hospital and caring for patients with flashlights because the hospital was in complete blackout. After Guam, she took care of the Bataan Death march and POW survivors and said no words can describe what I witnessed as a nurse. After the war ended, she went back to school for her Public Health Certificate through the University of Minnesota 1946-1947. Irene returned to Arizona in 1947 and worked as a public health nurse.

Irene met Robert E. Jameson (Bob) at Central Methodist Church in Phoenix, AZ and found they had a lot in common both being veterans and serving in the Pacific. They were married September 3,1948 and remained married until Bob’s death (1/20/1982). They had three children Thomas E. Jameson (Jill), Michael W Jameson (Nancy), and Sue L. Demaine (William). She was highly active at Central Methodist Church and was a Sunday school teacher and served as a Cub Scout and Girl Scout leader with her children. It was her and Bob’s mission to make their home a place where children and young adults felt welcome and safe. In 1960, at the insistence of Bob, she returned to Arizona State University to complete her education. Irene graduated with a BA in education in 1964 and earned her MA in education in 1965. She taught 3rd and 4th grades at Shaw Butte Elementary School for 2 years and then in the Phoenix Elementary school district at Garfield and Whitter schools for 20 years. Irene loved teaching and used many of her public health nursing skills to make home visits to children’s homes when children were having difficulties at school.

In her later years, she travelled both locally and all over the world (33 countries in total). Her fondest trips were two medical missionary trips to Kenya, Africa and touched the lives of many while there. She volunteered at local museums, like the Mesa Museum and the Little Red SchoolHouse Museum in Scottsdale, AZ to share her love of history. When she was not out in the community she was focused on her family and her six grandchildren. She was known for her pie baking skills and passed that knowledge down the generations. She was able to watch all her grandchildren graduate from college and was able to witness four of them getting married and have the wonderful experience of meeting and having a relationship with all six of her great grandchildren.

When Irene moved from Phoenix to Rochester she moved to the independent part of Shorewood Senior Living Center. She was able to participate in the Mayo Medical School Senior Sage Program while living at Shorewood for 8 years and she read to public school1st graders for a couple of years.

Irene will be forever missed by her family and friends; however, her legacy lives on with all the lives she has touched throughout the years. When asked how she wanted to be remembered, she would always say “That I did it ‘my way’ (Frank Sinatra).”

Irene is preceded in death by her parents, Ruth and Curt Thomas, her siblings, Jesse Thomas, Mildred Cox, Mary Benson, Lorraine Challis, Gordon Thomas, Curt Thomas Jr. and her husband Robert E. Jameson and son Thomas E. Jameson and daughter-in-law Jill R. Jameson-Carlson

Irene is survived by:

Son Michael W Jameson (Nancy), daughter Sue L. Demaine (William)

Grandchildren: Robert Jameson (Allison), Ryan Jameson (Corin), Daniel Jameson, Bethany (Jameson) Carlson (Dan), Katelyn Jameson-Jenkins (Nathan), and Margaret Demaine

Great grandchildren: Leo Gonzales, Percy Gonzales, Jonah Carlson, Emery Jameson, Evie Carlson, Lucy Jameson,

Sister, Carolyn Searfoss and many nieces and nephews and Mooshy (Calico cat)

Special thanks from both Irene and her family to: Adara Home Health staff, especially Sue and Rachel Home Health Aides, Jamie RN and Brandi RN, and the Visiting Angels Staff. Brenda Danielson APRN, CNP, Bjorg Thorsteinsdottir MD, Anne RN, Francis X. Whalen MD and his Methodist Hospital Palliative Care Team and Methodist Palliative Unit 7A for all the wonderful care Irene received. Irene commented during her in-patient stay this was the best care she had received in years.

In lieu of flowers, the family would suggest a donation to a food bank, animal shelter, or Mayo Palliative Care Program

https://mackenfuneralhome.com

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Interment: Valley View Cemetery, Clarkdale, AZ

Graveside Services: December 18,2025 @ 11:00AM

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