- Date Of Birth: July 29, 1925
- Date Of Death: December 2, 2018
- State: Connecticut
Long-time Hamden, CT resident Irene Bouzoucos Pournaras died peacefully early Sunday morning, December 2nd at the age of 93. After ninety two years of remarkably strong health, her gradual decline ended as Irene had wished, surrounded by family in her home.
Irene was born in New Haven, CT on July 29, 1925. She was the eldest child of George Bouzoucos and Alexandra Androutsos Bouzoucos, both deceased. Irene was also pre-deceased by her siblings, John Bouzoucos (aka Booth) of New York City, Theodore Bouzoucos (aka Booth) of Woodbridge, CT, and Eugenia (Nea) Bouzoucos Phillips of Stamford, CT, in addition to her former husband, Ulysses Pournaras of New York City.
Irene is survived by her three children and their families: Eleni Pournaras of York, PA, her husband Albert Blakey, their daughters Erini, Sophia, Daphne, and Sophia’s husband Edwin Cheung; Andreas Pournaras of Brooklyn, NY, his wife Dawn Nader and their son Odysseus; and Alexandra Pournaras of Barrington, RI, her husband Jim Caruso, and their children James Caruso, April Caruso, and James’ son Rex Caruso.
Irene graduated from Hill House High School in New Haven in 1944. She went on to attend the University of Connecticut in Storrs and the Katherine Gibbs school in Boston, MA. She returned to New Haven and began her career as an administrative assistant. In the late 1990’s, Irene retired after 30 years at Yale University, where she had worked most recently in the Department of Admissions. Prior to that she had worked in various Engineering and Applied Science departments and for the Master of Calhoun College.
Family was a great joy to Irene: hers was a big and extended Greek Family. She never hesitated to travel to any family event, no matter how far, and when she saw you, her eyes brightened, her smiled grew and you knew she loved you.
Irene was a lifelong and active member of St.
Irene loved Yale and the people she came to know there. She enjoyed attending all manner of Yale related events from football games to concerts to lectures to museum exhibits, continuing to do so long after her retirement. In addition, Irene was a die-hard fan of the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team.
