Obituary of Irene M. Perna

Irene M. Perna, 78, of Lawrenceville, passed away on Sunday, December 4, 2016 at St. Joseph's Skilled Nursing Center, Lawrenceville. Born on May 17, 1938 in Lawrenceville NJ, she remained a lifelong resident of the area. Irene graduated from Princeton High School in 1956 and graduated from Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women which became the Ambler Campus of Temple University in 1958. She married Alfred R Perna on October 29, 1960. Throughout the 1960s she worked at various flower shops in the Princeton area including Applegate’s and the Flower Basket. In 1974, became a partner in Mazur Nursery, plant nursery started by her Father, George E Mazur in 1933 and became the owner of Mazur Nursery with her husband Alfred in 1975. In 1976 Irene and Alfred opened Perna's Plant and Flower Shop in West Windsor. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s Mazur Nursery was one of the leading wholesale and retail bedding plant nursery establishments. In 1991, Irene decided to focus on her local retail customers, offering the broadest and largest and most unique selection of annuals, perennials, and vegetables in the area. Irene continued to actively lead the nursery through this year, taking great enjoyment and pride in growing the types and varieties of plants her customers came to appreciate. When not working at her business, Irene enjoyed reading, traveling with her husband, visiting Atlantic City, dining out, and watching and attending NASCAR races. She was predeceased by her parents, George E Mazur and Stephanie (nee Zepka) Mazur; her sister Dorothy Guzikowski; she is survived by her husband of 56 years, Alfred R. Perna her daughter Sarah Conte and husband Scott, her son Steven Perna, and wife Maria (nee Wood) grandchildren, Nicole, Michael, and Christina Conte and her devoted cousin Christine Braun. The funeral will begin at 8AM on Saturday, December 10, 2016 at Poulson & Van Hise Funeral Directors, 650 Lawrence Road, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9AM at St. Hedwig Church, 872 Brunswick Avenue, Trenton, NJ 08638. Interment will follow at St. Hedwig Cemetery, Ewing, NJ. Relatives and friends can call on Friday evening from 5-8PM at the funeral home.