September 16, 1923 – April 3, 2024
Ruth Irene Dwigans, who only answered to Irene or Dwig, was the daughter of Clarice Maxine Ayers Baughman and Clinton Henry Dwigans.
Born and raised in Noblesville, Ind., she served the United States during war time as a civilian, at first building RCA radios for Navy airplanes in the States and then in Korea where, despite her lack of a degree in library science, she was assigned to be in charge of two U.S. Army libraries. She subsequently moved to Guam where she established the first book mobile service for military bases. Eventually, she returned to the States where she earned a degree in Library Science from Indiana University and then headed for Germany to serve as a civilian librarian at Ramstein Air Base. Again, she returned to the States to earn a master’s degree at Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
Irene worked in the Erie County (N.Y.) Library system for 37 years. She was in charge of several branch libraries, ultimately becoming the Supervisor of Branches. She subsequently built a collection of large print books and foreign fiction.
After her retirement in 1991, she and her partner, the late Norma Jean Lamb, spent summers in Lake Placid, traveled extensively, and pursued their interests in opera, classical music, and theater. They maintained rich friendships with former colleagues and devotees to the arts.
Irene died peacefully on April 3, 2024, and is survived by two siblings, nieces and nephews, and their families.
A family reunion to celebrate her life will take place in Indiana later this Spring. There will also be a celebration of her life in Buffalo, N.Y., for her friends and very dedicated caretakers later this Spring.