JAMESON, DR. IRENE

JAMESON, DR. IRENE (Suflas) – died on October 13, 2015 at her home in Sea Isle City, NJ. She was born on December 11, 1924, in Bridgeport, PA, the second daughter of Demetrious and Paraskeve Suflas, who immigrated to the United States from Greece. For most of her life she lived in the Philadelphia, PA, area before moving to Sea Isle City, NJ in 1986. She graduated from Germantown High School and received a BA degree from Ursinus College and masters and doctorate degrees from Temple University. Dr. Jameson was a teacher of English for 17 years at Mastbaum Vocational-Technical High School and Germantown High School and then a Community Relations Coordinator and Information Specialist for 13 years for the School District of Philadelphia. Upon her retirement in June of 1986, Dr. Jameson and her husband, John, settled in Sea Isle City, NJ, where they had owned summer properties for many years. She soon became active doing publicity as a volunteer for various city and community organizations and founded the North End Improvement Association. In 1989, former mayor Michael McHale, asked her if she would be the Public Relations Director, a position she held for 17 years, retiring at age 82. Dr. Jameson initiated many new events for the city, but she is best remembered for her role as queen of the annual Polar Bear Plunge, which she suggested to the Tourism Commission. The event was launched in 1991 with 30 plungers and 300 viewers and grew to 1000 plungers and 15,000 viewers her last year as queen in 2007. Over the 13 years, she raised $30,000 from sponsors to support tourism. In addition to her public relations position, Dr. Jameson was also a member of Chapter 710 of AARP, the Beachcomber Guide Program, Sea Isle City Tourism Commission, Southern Shore Region Tourism Council, Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce and the Top Ten Book Club of Sea Isle City. Dr. Jameson was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 51 years, John W. Jameson, an artist, whom she always credited as “the wind beneath my wings.” Dr. Jameson is also survived by her daughter, Jorene Jameson and son-in-law James Wylie, Deerfield Beach, Florida, and her son, Robert S. Jameson and daughter-in-law Kate of Wilmington, Delaware. She is also survived by four nieces, three nephews and several grand-nieces and nephews. A celebration of Dr. Jameson’s life will take place on Thursday, October 22, 2015 at five o’clock in the evening at The Godfrey Funeral Home of Palermo, 644 South Shore Road, Palermo, NJ where friends may call from three o’clock until the time of service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Sea Isle Volunteer Ambulance Corps, P.O. Box 194, Sea Isle City, NJ, 08243. For condolences to the family, visit www.godfreyfuneralhome.com.