Hamlin and Grand Falls, NB, Maine - Irene Belanger, 89, peacefully entered into rest May 6, 2025, at a Caribou hospital, with her loving family at her side. She was born February 27, 1936, in Caswell, a daughter of the late Abraham and Mary-Ann (Pelletier) Labreck.

Irene was a devoted wife and mother, who prided herself on caring for and raising her family and assisted as a bookkeeper for her husband's busy trucking company. She had a deep love of children, and spread her love and kindness as a foster mother in Grand Falls to many displaced children. She and her husband enjoyed camping trips with her children and foster children. Irene was a lifelong parishioner of St. Joseph Church and spent many days roaming around Grand Falls with her friends.

She is survived by six children, Sheryl Parent and her husband, Stephen, Patricia Oczkowski and her fiancé, Claude Cormier, all of Van Buren, Wayne Belanger of Augusta, Tommy Belanger and his wife, Telsche, of Florida, Natalie Pelletier and her fiancé, Guy Page, and Kenney Belanger and his wife, Amy, all of Canada; one sister, Dorothy Berube of Connecticut; 14 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Besides her parents, Irene was predeceased by her beloved husband of almost 60 years, Elmer "Blue" Belanger, in 2013; a son, Jeffrey Belanger; a granddaughter, Ginney Parent; and eight siblings, Albert, Laurence, Gerald "Jack," Roy, Robert, Adelaide, and Beecher Labreck, and Angela Cote.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 16, 2025, at St. Joseph Church, Hamlin. Relatives and friends may greet the family Friday morning 8:30-9:15 a.m. at Lajoie Funeral Home, 118 High St., Van Buren. Burial will be at St. Joseph Cemetery, Hamlin. In lieu of flowers, donations in Irene's name may be made to: Borderview Activity Fund, 208 State St., Van Buren, ME 04785. To share condolences online, please visit LajoieFuneralHome.com.