Irene M. Bean

December 25, 1938 - December 23, 2020

COLEBROOK – Irene M. Bean, 81, of Colebrook, died on Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020, at the Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital after being suddenly stricken at home. She was born in West Stewartstown on Christmas Day, 1938, a daughter to the late Walter A. Bryant, Sr., and Mina (McLean) Bryant. She grew up on the family farm, attended the local schools and was a 1956 graduate of Colebrook Academy. She built two homes on South Hill where her heart is today. Irene worked for several years at The Balsams while raising her eight children. She was a nurturing soul who loved to help others in any way she could. That part of her character led into furthering her education, receiving a B.S. in Human Services and a long career as a social worker in Berlin and Colebrook, a job she loved, and which included acting as a domestic violence counselor and case worker for her beloved communities. She was instrumental for many years in the Helping Hands organization, the local food bank, and Tri-County CAP. She ran an assisted living home for 8 years with her son, Tommy, until his passing. Irene was a ubiquitous personality in and around town with a very community-orientated spirit. She loved local politics and ran to be a legislator in the NH House of Representatives for her home district in the 1990s. Irene had strong beliefs in the north country way of life. She was vehemently opposed to the “Northern Pass” because it would ruin the beautiful vista she called “home.” Some of her accolades throughout her many years of service to the Colebrook community include: Volunteer of the Year in 2004 from the Main Street Revitalization Award, Community Service Award from the N.H. Charitable Foundation, and being a founding member of several north country initiatives, including the North Country Impact Drug & Alcohol, the Colebrook area domestic violence council, the foster grandparent program, and the Haven mental illness peer support group. Her family was central to her life, and her ultimate pride and joy; she loved spending time with them. She was an avid gardener, both flowers and vegetables, loved swimming in her pool, knitted hundreds of pairs of mittens and enjoyed oil painting. Irene’s family will remember her as an excellent cook who also wrote her own recipe book with other home remedies included. She was not afraid to give most anything a try. She collected antiques, baseball cards, books (especially of local history) and coins. She enjoyed foraging in the woods for wild leeks and down by the river for fiddleheads every spring, and in the fields for berries of every kind. With her rewards she liked to can and preserve her finds to be enjoyed and appreciated at special events. One of her family’s favorite were her “little sour pickles!” She was a leader and advocate for Colebrook’s first “Community Garden,” a place where she wanted to help people plant, grow, and harvest wonderfully fresh vegetables. Her motto in life was to “never give up.” This was evident by the challenges that life handed her, though you would never know it. She always had an upbeat attitude and a beautiful smile for anyone who greeted her. She was extremely selfless. Irene had an entrepreneurial spirit which kept her looking for any new opportunities. She was industrious by nature and often able to figure out solutions to problems. Irene was a Justice of the Peace and enjoyed performing ceremonies for weddings, including for 4 of her children. Irene led a life of servantship to Colebrook and the surrounding area and will be sorely missed by all those who knew her and loved her. And “though she be little…she be fierce!” Farewell our Christmas Angel, wife, mother, friend… we will be with you again. She leaves behind her husband of 48 years, Valtin Bean of Colebrook; six children, Connie Goodrum (Danny) of Illinois, Donna Mercer of Vermont, Terrie Nelepovitz (John) of NH, Daniel (Chris) Mercer of NH, Kathy Mercer of NH and Jaunita Field (Scott) of NH; a sister, Jean Bryant of Colebrook; 14 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren; a daughter-in-law, Jennifer Jacques of NH; as well as several nieces and nephews and cousins. Irene is preceded in death by two sons, Jacob Bean and Thomas Mercer, and a brother, Walter “Bill” Bryant, Jr. There are no public calling hours. A graveside interment service will be held in the Colebrook Village Cemetery on Saturday, May 29, 2021, at 10 a.m. Expressions of sympathy in memory of Mrs. Bean may be made to Helping Hands, 96 Main St., Colebrook, NH 03576. Condolences may be offered to the family on-line by going to www.jenkinsnewman.com. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the care of Jenkins & Newman Funeral Home in Colebrook.