Celebrating Irene’s Life

Irene Schwartz Shere died on January 22, 2025, at 78 years of age, after her 5th bout of cancer, as announced by her beloved daughter Holly Taya Shere, her beloved son Brett Shere, beloved daughter-in-love Magogodi Makhene, and her beloved grandson Izzy Bogoshi Shere.

Irene lived a full life rich with friends and accomplishments in the Washington DC area for 70 years, and found joy in her retirement years in Sarasota, Florida for 8 years.

Irene grew up in Silver Spring, MD. She was very curious and loved learning - she read a book a day in her high school summers - including fiction and often Freud, and loved writing science fiction stories. Irene loved sports, especially playing volleyball and basketball with her high school buddies. Math came easy, but she especially loved the arts and literature. To earn money, Irene baby-sat several times a week - she loved being with these children and was fascinated by their family dynamics. Irene graduated in 1964 as valedictorian of the first class at Springbrook High School.

Irene then attended the University of Maryland. She wanted to major in psychology and work with young children and families, but her father would only pay for her college if she majored in the sciences so that she would be “employable” when she graduated. In 1964, Irene was one of the 50 students chosen from the 5,000 incoming freshman class at the University of Maryland in the university’s first General Honors Program. During the summer of her Sophomore year, Irene worked as an electronic engineer trainee at the Federal Aviation Administration, during which she co-invented and patented PDAPI, a device to electronically synchronize radar scanners with CRT screens at air traffic control towers. Amidst her studies, Irene worked half-time all four years at the new U of MD Computer Science Center. Irene graduated magna cum laude in 1968, with a Special Certificate in General Honors, majoring in math and minoring in both computer science and English.

Irene then worked as a computer systems analyst for five years, starting at IBM on an FAA contract predicting mid-air plane crashes and then working for various computer startups, usually as the only female computer systems designer. She also taught beginning and advanced computer courses part-time at Montgomery College in Takoma Park, MD.

Irene reached a point in her computer career where she felt that there was not enough soul in her work with computers. She realized that she enjoyed teaching so much that she returned to graduate school at the University of Maryland and earned teaching certificates to teach math and English in high school and junior high school. She then taught Math at Kennedy High School in Wheaton, MD.

Irene married and she was overjoyed when her daughter Holly and her son Brett were born. Irene was a firm believer in the importance of children’s early development; she was a full-time stay-at-home mom for nine years. Irene was an active participant at her children’s school, Jackson Road Elementary School, creating an afterschool computer lab, teaching computers in classes and working with journal writing, as well as organizing the Junior Great Books program. Irene also wrote three children’s joke books that grew out of a school fundraiser idea: In the Doghouse, Cat’s Out of the Bag, and Grin and Bear It (published internationally by Lerner Publications, Inc.).

Irene’s interest in child development and families was a huge part of her life. While staying at home during Holly and Brett’s early years, She became very involved in their preschool, Silver Spring Nursery School (SSNS). After returning to school again and becoming certified in teaching ages preschool through grade five, Irene began teaching three-year-olds. Irene became teacher and then director of SSNS, which was a cooperative nursery school, wherein the parents were weekly aides in the classroom throughout the year so that the parents grew in understanding child development as their children grew in independence. Irene also served for 10 years as volunteer Director of The Potomac Association of Cooperative Nursery Schools, an organization of over 80 coop preschools and 180 preschool teachers, supporting young teachers with conferences and speaker events.

During her teaching, Irene became especially interested in challenging preschoolers. After 10 years of daily teaching, Irene left SSNS and began a private practice, The Early Childhood Consultation Center, Inc., where she worked with challenging children, their families, preschools, day care centers and public and private elementary schools. Irene focused on children ages 3-6, believing strongly in the importance of these formative years. Irene made home visits to families for 10 years and then continued practicing at her office in Bethesda and her home office in Silver Spring, as well as working with preschools on site. During her 25 years of consulting, Irene presented over 500 parenting workshops to organizations such as The World Bank, The Goddard Space Flight Center, Babies R Us, adoption agencies, and pediatricians’ offices. Irene wrote extensively about young children and many of her articles can still be found on her website iBlankie.com, “Every parent’s security blanket.” In 1997, Irene published the 300 page book The Early Childhood Resource Guide for the Washington DC Area” - Washington Parent Magazine’s book review stated: “If it takes a village to raise a child, then. this is the village phone book.”

Irene loved art and color and working with her hands. She painted portraits in charcoal, pastels, and oils. She also developed a love of weaving, creating large colorful shawls using metallic thread, as well weaving beads into jewelry and innovated a form of weaving beads onto carved gourds.

Irene started playing racquetball when she was 50 and quickly became a fanatic. She played as often as possible, enjoying both singles and doubles. In 2013, Irene was a MD State Women’s Doubles Champion and when she was 69 she won two gold medals at the US Racquetball Open.

Irene retired in 2017 to Sarasota, FL, having found warm weather, warm friendships, great kayaking, amazing racquetball, great beading partners, and fellow Reiki healers. She was an active member of the Racquetball Racketeers at the Sarasota Y. From her senior lunches with new girlfriends, a 300 page fun book emerged, “The Care and Feeding of the Aging Human Male Species: A Sassy Primer.” (Still available on Amazon!).

Irene saw her life as a long arc in which all her dreams finally came true.

She is also survived by her beloveds: brother Ron Schwartz, sister-in-law Maggie Schwartz, niece Stephanie Schwartz, nephew-in-law Mark Salyers, grand nephew David Buttrum; adopted son Adé Odara; in-laws Mmammotsa, Mmabatho, and Maki Makhene; Silver Spring Friends Terry, Nicole, Gail, Lindsay and David; Sarasota friends Madelaine and Ron, Linda, Lake, Sabina, Barb, Carolyn, Jeannine, all the Racketeers (shoutout to Chuck and Aidan); book editor Rae Abileah and illustrator Andy Baker; with special memories of dear friends who are now ancestors, Jill and Erma.

Here’s the spot for your sassy sweet stories!