Irene A. Rathbun, 78, of Vero Beach, passed away on Oct. 18, 2014.
She is survived by her husband of 50 years, Richard; daughter Michele R. Snyder (David); son Richard M. Rathbun (Lisa); and three grandsons, David and Richard Snyder and Richard Allyn Rathbun.
Born in Montclair, N.J. on Nov. 2 1935, Rathbun graduated from St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1956, and was employed as a Registered Nurse by various hospitals and physicians including Mountainside Hospital and Montclair Neurological Group in Montclair, N.J.; St. Vincent’s Hospital, Gracie Square Hospital and New York Infirmary in New York. Following this, she was employed as a Registered Nurse involved in home health care and with the Neurology Group of Drs. Tobin, Zwiebel, Aptman & Meloff in Miami.
In 1980, Rathbun graduated from the University of Miami’s Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner program. In 1986 she became a Certified Geriatric Nurse Practitioner. She worked in this capacity at the Chronic Disease Center, Cedars Medical Center in Miami, and then for Robert Jacobson, MD in his Neurosurgical Practice. In 1982, Rathbun moved to the Geriatric Center at Cedars Medical Center, Miami as a primary care provider. She was beloved by many patients and colleagues.
From 1990 to 1998, Rathbun worked as a Nurse Practitioner for the State of Florida, Department of Correction, Physicians Geriatric Services in Brooksville and then at Treasure Coast Rehabilitation Hospital, in Vero Beach. She practiced with a number of private doctors in the Vero Beach area before her retirement in 1999.
In 2002, she was appointed by the Governor of Florida as a Certified Long-Term Care Ombudsman and served as a volunteer in this capacity until her retirement in 2011. She was voted Outstanding Ombudsman of the Year in 2005 by the Ombudsman Council of the Treasure Coast.
Rathbun was a member of the St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Association, The American Nurses Association and The Florida Nurses Association.
A gathering of friends to celebrate the life of Irene will be held on Friday, Oct. 24 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at The Plaza – 884 17th Street, Vero Beach next to Strunk Funeral Home. Refreshments will be served.
No memorial service is planned at this time.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Irene’s name may be made to Florida Baptist Retirement Center – 1006 33rd Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960.
