Barbara Jean Ireland

Mrs. Barbara Jean Ireland, age 86, of Ocean Springs, MS passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Saturday, December 28, 2013. Mrs. Ireland was born in Bridgeport, CT, to Joseph and Nicoline Seims and lived her childhood years in Hamden, CT. She graduated from Endicott Junior College, Beverly, MA, and worked as a medical secretary before marrying. In 1954, she married her husband of 49 years, and spent the next portion of her life as a Navy wife, raising their children as they moved and lived all over the United States. In 1978, they moved to Ocean Springs, where she lived ever since. Mrs. Ireland was a dedicated volunteer of the Ocean Springs Hospital Auxiliary for over thirty five years. She was very proud to be a “pink lady” and was named Auxiliarian of the Year in 2001. Mrs. Ireland was a member of St. Paul UMC Downtown, Ocean Springs. She was preceded in death, by her husband, Captain Blair Ireland, USN (Ret.), and a granddaughter, Heather Marie Strunk. Mrs. Ireland is survived by a son, Steven (Evelyn) Ireland of Audubon, NJ; and two daughters, Susan (Steven) Strunk of Ocean Springs and Carol (John) Shinn of Biloxi. She is also survived by eight grandchildren, Lisa Ireland-McKinney, Steven Ireland, Jr., Kristin Strunk Zarebski, Kyle Strunk, Kathleen Strunk, Brent Hudson, Amanda Hudson and Heith Shinn; and two great-grandchildren, Aiden and Finnegan McKinney. A church service will be held at St. Paul UMC Downtown, Ocean Springs, on Friday, January 3, 2014 at 2:00 pm where visitation will begin at 1:00 pm. Burial will follow in Crestlawn Memorial Park. The Ocean Springs Chapel of Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.