Irene pursued her education at the Columbia College of Pharmacy, which is when she met her husband Richard Lowell Grundfest, with their marrying upon her graduation and his graduation from Brooklyn College of Pharmacy.

     Music was a central thread in Irene’s life. A gifted accordionist, she possessed the rare ability to both read music and play by ear. Her love for music spanned a wide range of styles and genres, which she passed along to her daughter and shared through that instrument. Her daughter transmuting that gift of instrumental musicality into one of dance. Age-related disabilities eventually made it too difficult for her to continue playing, a transition which, with a move from the house her child was raised in, marked a poignant shift into the final chapter of her life with Richard. Their enduring partnership was a cornerstone of her life. She is remembered by her only child, Beth Grundfest-Frigeri and also survived by her younger sister Karen Zilber.

      Irene was predeceased by her parents.