Irené « Rene » Grant Harper was born in Paisley, Scotland, to John and Catherine Grant Harper. She graduated from Paisley Grammar in 1959, and University of Glasgow in 1963 with a degree in History. She spent a year in Paris, followed by teaching at her alma mater at Paisley Grammar, before joining her best friend in coming to le nouveau monde. When Irené retired as the Directrice of Ecole Barclay, in 2007, she had spent over 40 years serving the children of Montreal as Teacher and Principal. She taught at Denton High School in the East End, Town of Mount Royal High School, Willowdale, Elm Grove and Ecole Secondaire Dorval. Following that she was vice-principal at Edward VII in Mile End, then principal of Guy Drummond in Outremont and, starting in 1995, Ecole Barclay. Irené was an active member at Westminster Prebyterian Church in Pierrefonds, serving on committees big and small, local and at the Presbytery level. A great organizer and writer of lists, she kept things running in good and decent order with a song. Irené is survived by her sister Lilian; Robert Pursell of Houston Texas, former spouse; son Alan Pursell of Oakland, California; and daughter-in-law Stefanie. Most of all, she was a devoted grandmother to Patrick. In Scotland she is survived by her Uncle Robert Grant; Aunt Irene; and many cousins. Donations in Irené’s memory can be made to UNICEF and directed to aid in Nepal’s earthquake relief – http://www.supportunicef.org/nepal , or to Tyndale St. George’s Community Center -http://www.tyndalestgeorges.com/give.html.
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Irené « Rene » Grant Harper September 18, 1941 – May 17, 2015.source