Irene was born in Winthrop, MA, June 29, 1929. She lived through the Great Depression, WWII, and many other significant historical events that have shaped this world.  Her first job was at Hood's, in Boston, MA, where she learned the values of hard work, working as a team and looking out for others.  She married Edward Pickering in October, 1958.  They first lived in Nahant then eventually moved to Marshfield, MA.  Irene had a son, Robert Pickering, and adopted another, Eric Sheridan Shanahan

She had always dreamed of living in Florida, like the Rockefellers, and in 1980 she moved the family to Palm Coast, Florida, where she has lived ever since.  Irene spent most of her working life in retail, because she loved arts and crafts, and also enjoyed helping others find their creative side.  Irene worked at Ross, Beall's, and at the Marineland of Florida Beachcomber gift shop. She was an avid photographer and loved to travel and take pictures of sunsets and wildlife.

In 1985, Irene became involved with Flagler County Assist, a volunteer organization formed by her son, Bob Pickering. The group assisted with communication and information and eventually graduated to being involved with the weather, and traffic control. She has been a member of that group from 1985 until her passing. She was directly involved with providing communications assistance during many disasters, including the 1985 and 1998 wildfires, the 2004 hurricane season, and many other events that have impacted the county.

Irene has always been known for her integrity and her honesty.  She always looked out for others and cared for her family deeply. Irene passed into the light on June 17, 2021 and is survived by her husband, Edward, and her two sons, Bob and Eric.