Irene Friedman (Lait)

SILVER SPRING, Md. – Irene Friedman (Lait) passed away on Oct. 24, 2019, at the age of 88, at Riderwood in Silver Spring, Md. A proud native daughter of the State of Maine, she was born in Augusta, on Jan. 27, 1931, to Harry and Lena (Slosberg) Lait. She lived there until she was 11, when, after losing her mother, she, her father, and older sister, moved to Bath where her father remarried. She graduated from Morse High in 1949 and moved to Boston.  There she met David Friedman. They married in 1952. They moved to Vermont in 1956 and from there to the Washington, D.C. area in 1962. She was a resident of Bowie, Md. for over 50 years.
Starting in the mid 1960s, she worked as an ophthalmic assistant for many years. She was active in the Bowie chapter of Hadassah, as well as in Nevey Shalom, the Jewish Congregation of Belair, in Bowie. She served as president of both. She loved her family, trips home to New England, and animals.
She is survived by her husband; and four children, Harry of Brookline, Mass., Lianne of McLean, Va., Andrew (Kansiri) of Harpers Ferry, W.Va., and Jana Englander (Keith) of Alexandria, Va.; as well as four grandchildren, Aaron Friedman (Pazit) of Haifa, Israel, Jacob Friedman (Rachel) of Randolph, N.J., Dana Diaz (Enzo) of Falls Church, Va., and Alexander Englander of Hanover, Md.; and four great-grandchildren.
She was predeceased by her parents; her sister, Roberta Raphael; and her stepmother, Jennie (Miller) Lait.
Graveside services were held on Monday, Oct. 28, at Maryland Veterans Cemetery Crownsville, 1122 Sunrise Beach Rd., Crownsville, Md., followed by a kiddush at Congregation Kol Shalom, 1909 Hidden Meadow Lane, Annapolis, Md.
Online condolences may be placed at www.hardestyfuneralhome.com 
Contributions in her memory may be made to Hadassah or to the animal welfare organisation
of your choice.