Irene Mae Howard

June 16, 1952 – March 31, 2022

Irene Mae Howard, age 69, passed away on March 31^st, 2022 in Salt Lake City due to heart failure. She was born on June 16, 1952 in Maywood, California to George Raymond Pusateri and Josephine Rosetta Peterson.

Throughout her younger years, she lived in several places with her mom including living in Tooele and Murray Utah. For a short while she lived with her Aunt Bessie in Murray and had fond memories of being with her.

During High School, Irene met Scott Adair whom she married and had her 2 sons, Scott Jr and Robert. They divorced shortly thereafter and Irene continued to raise her boys as they were growing up. She taught them many things about life and the importance of unconditional love, for everyone, always. She loved music, especially the Beatles in her younger years and she loved to play it loud. Her sons recall this continuing through their childhood and definitely got their love of music, and it had to be loud, from her. Even while recovering from heart surgery, one of her sons put on some Van Halen while she was sleeping and her head immediately began to bob to the music. When she later woke up, she started singing to her nurses.

In 1979, Irene and her boys moved to Las Vegas where she began working as a cashier in several of the city’s largest casinos. She loved the friends she would make and enjoyed meeting people from all over the world. Irene loved “starting over” in Las Vegas and enjoyed raising her boys there and teaching them many more things.

It was while she was in Las Vegas that she met and married Mick Howard. This marriage brought her 2 daughters from Mick’s prior marriage, Andrea and Samantha. She became their mom the first day they met. She always treated them as if they were her own daughters, because in her eyes they were. After Irene and Mick divorced, she continued her relationship with the girls all the way to her passing.

After her boys grew up and moved back to Utah, she decided to move closer to them and she made her way back to Utah. This is where she continued her passion of being around people and began her career as a UTA bus operator in Salt Lake City. She absolutely loved being around, and helping people. 

Irene has always been a big supporter of animals. Throughout her life she rescued many dogs and cats and provided them a loving home. She also enjoyed supporting charities like ‘Best Friends’ and ‘Strut Your Mutt’.

Irene was a very strong woman and overcame multiple health issues including breast cancer, diabetes and multiple heart issues in her 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. Irene also had a great sense of humor that started as a child and continued throughout her life, even up until her last few days in the hospital where her family recalls her getting them to laugh.

Irene was very proud of her boys when they got married. Scott married Denise and Robert married Tiffany. Irene loved Tiffany and Denise and was very grateful to have them in her life. It is recalled that Irene told one of her boys that she was grateful for these 2 special ladies and that they “completed her sons”. When Irene became a grandma, she fell in love with each and every one of her grandkids. Irene is survived by her sons Harold Scott Adair Jr. (Denise), Robert Adair (Tiffany). 2 daughters, Andrea Howard (Sonny), Samantha Knapp (Casey). 2 sisters, Janice Petrosino (Rick) and Rosalie Hansen. 9 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Irene is preceded in death by her parents, 2 brothers and 2 sisters.

A Celebration of Life for her family and close friends will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at 196 N. Pinehurst Ave., Tooele, UT 84074 Wednesday, April 6th from 10:30am to 11:30am. Interment will then take place at approximately 12:00pm at the Tooele City Cemetery under the care of Dalton-Hoopes Funeral Home.