Catherine McInnes

Catherine McInnes McInnes died on Tuesday, December 26, 2017 at Golden Age Seniors of Sunrise in Sunrise, Florida. Irene, as she was known to so many, passed away peacefully at the age of 97. Irene was born on August 14, 1920 in Kilbirnie, Scotland and was the daughter of Charles Cunningham Hamilton and Helen Curr (Gray) Hamilton. She served in the British Royal Army Pay Corp from 1942-1944 before immigrating to the United States in 1946. After several moves she eventually settled in Merrimack, NH with her husband Robert S. McInnes where they lived for twenty-eight years raising their four children. While in Merrimack, she became employed at DeMontigny Jewelers in Nashua, NH. Her tenure at the store was a long and happy one and some may still remember the spirited, white-haired woman with the strong Scottish brogue known by many as “Scottie”. In 1983, at the suggestion of longtime friends Mary and Charlie Butera, Irene and Bob retired to Sopchoppy, Florida where part two of her very active life began. She was a member of the Sopchoppy Methodist Church and heavily involved in a variety of clubs including the Golden Girls, the Sopchoppy Methodist Women’s Club and the Sopchoppy Homemakers. Her passion for children came in the form of volunteering for the Florida United Methodist Children’s Home where she used her persuasive charm to raise money for the Home and used her love of crafts to make countless blankets for every child there. Though her beloved husband died in 1994, she never slowed down and in her 80’s she was still volunteering for the Wakulla County Council on Aging delivering meals on wheels to the “old folks.” Her heart knew no bounds. In 2013, Irene’s declining health precipitated her move to Sunrise, Florida to be nearer to family. There, she found her final home close to her daughter, Roberta and her loving son-in-law Jon Carraway who predeceased her by just 6 days. Her entire family grieves for their Mom, their Nana, and their Nana Goodness, but we take comfort in the knowledge that she is at peace and with Jon, watching over us all. They will be dearly missed. Along with her parents, her husband and her son-in-law, Irene is predeceased by another son-in-law Bradford Cross, her sister Margaret Gray Davies and her nephews William Davies and James Davies. She is survived by her son Duncan McInnes Sr. and his wife Mary of Merrimack, NH, her daughter Helen Cross of Merrimack, NH, her daughter Roberta Carraway of Sunrise, FL, her daughter Heather Aveni and her husband Joe of Milford, NH,her nephew Duncan Sinnock Sr. of Paonia, CO, her niece Anne Westin and her husband Jack of Wimberly, TX, a niece Jane Shanahorn and her husband Carl of Prescott, AZ, a niece Jill and her husband Tom of Tucson, AZ a nephew Alexander Davies of Levin, New Zealand and her niece Gillian Birt of Heide, Germany. She is also survived by 8 grandchildren - Tiffany Cross, Tara L’Etoile and her husband Nick, Jennifer Cook and her husband Mike, Kate Potvin and her husband Chris, Tina Aveni, Duncan McInnes Jr., Andrea Walters and her husband Jay and Anthony Aveni; and 6 beloved great grandchildren - Taylor, Jordan, Darby, Paige, Abby and Wyatt. A Celebration of Life church service will be held on Saturday, January 6, 2018 at 11:00 am at the Plantation United Methodist Church, 1001 Northwest 70th Ave, Plantation, FL. For family and close friends in New England, a small gathering of remembrance will take place on Saturday, January 13th from 1:00 to 4:00 at the Parker Village Clubhouse, 22 Stearns Lane, Merrimack, NH. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Florida United Methodist Children’s Home, 51 Children’s Way, Enterprise, FL 32725.