Irene Salaiz Swartz

Irene Salaiz Swartz, a Mexican American, was born on 1-21-1937 to a working class family at Los Angeles County hospital. As a girl she was bright and hard working. As a young woman, she met the love of her life, Harry Addison Swartz. He hit on her while she sat with her mom eating pizza! Irene was a catholic girl but when she met her love, she became a Seventh Day Adventist. Irene had two biological children—Robert Griffin and Mia Addison Duncan. She also had two step children she loved very much from her husband Harry--Tina Nelson and Dennis Swartz. Life brought incredible pain when her beloved was diagnosed with cancer and passed 31 years ago—leaving her with children to care for alone. She will join him in a shared grave on November 20, 2020 and end their time apart.

Irene has had friends from every walk of life. Her life has been rich but filled with surprises and incredible heartache at times—don’t just observe the surface or you will miss her layers. She has welcomed every person with open arms regardless of their beliefs or differences. Irene was a quiet, introverted woman, but also a force. There is no more generous heart than Irene’s. She was a woman of faith who held to her Christian beliefs. Her sudden cancer diagnosis on November 4 was a shock, but ultimately her family took her home where she passed peacefully surrounded by comfort and love. Irene is survived by her sister Barbara, daughter Mia, son Rob, 3 grandchildren (Dustin, Megan and Frances), her cat Wyatt and granddog Hansel.

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