Irene Trzyna, a longtime resident of South Pasadena, died on December 23, 2008, at age 95. Trzyna taught mathematics at South Pasadena Junior High School from 1955 until she retired in 1979. She then continued to tutor math privately until she was in her 90s, preparing many generations of students for college and graduate school.

Irene (nee Griese) was born September 8, 1913 in Chicago. She grew up as the youngest of seven children in a Polish immigrant family. Trzyna graduated from the University of Chicago in 1934 with a degree in sociology and statistics, and later earned a masters in education from California State University of Los Angeles.

An avid reader and musician, Trzyna enjoyed playing violin and recorder. She was an active member of PEO, the Womans Club of South Pasadena and Oneonta Congregational Church, and was a volunteer at the South Pasadena Library. She also served for decades as an interviewer of the prospective students for the University of Chicago.

Irene was preceded in death by her beloved sister, Eleanor, who died in 2007, and five other brothers and sisters. She was married for nearly 60 years to Thaddeus S. (Ted) Trzyna, who died in 1994. She lived in South Pasadena from 1952 to 2005, when she moved to a retirement home in Pasadena. Irene is survived by her sons Dr. Thaddeus C. Trzyna (SPHS '57) of Sacramento, Dr. Thomas Trzyna (SPHS '64) of Seattle and three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.