With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of a beloved wife, mum, and Oma: Irene den Bak (née Ross), 82 years old, peacefully in the early morning of February 26th, 2026, with her loving husband Eric by her side.
Irene enjoyed a full life, recently celebrating 51 joyful years of marriage to Eric — emigrating from Scotland as newlyweds, raising their two children, and celebrating many of their milestones, including graduations, weddings, cheering on marathons, and welcoming grandchildren.
In recent years, she and Eric enjoyed some wonderful travel, including Tahiti, Australia, South Africa, Asia, and South America, including her birthplace, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Irene was bright-minded and very family-focused. She was a proud homemaker, could balance the family’s accounting to a T, and was notoriously good-natured, accepting, and kind. She was her older sister Dorothy’s lifelong best friend and a ray of sunshine to all who knew her.
She will be dearly missed by her beloved husband Eric; sister Dorothy (Dave); sisters-in-law Marijke and Ingrid; brother-in-law Fred (Linda); daughter Samantha and son Kyle; daughter-in-law Jane; and her grandchildren Ava Lily and Gabriel.
