Irene Wesley Christian, 80, of Pensacola, FL passed away on Saturday, December 9, 2023.

Irene was born on March 27, 1943, in the Sacred Heart Hospital on 12th Avenue in East Hill Pensacola to Rudyard and Mary Tallman. She spent her early years living in the East Hill neighborhood. Rudyard and Mary divorced when she was young and Mary married Leo Alton Wesley, who adopted her, making her Irene Wesley. Irene was a skinny tomboy throughout her childhood and would give as good as she got with the neighborhood boys. She attended and graduated from Pensacola High School in 1961. While attending Pensacola Junior College she met the man she would marry, a USMC helicopter flight student through a mutual friend. Lt. Duel "Chris" Christian met the prettiest girl he ever saw and they quickly fell in love. They married on Nov. 30, 1963, at First United Methodist Church, Pensacola. When Chris graduated, he was transferred to Santa Ana, CA where she went with him. Chris was sent into combat in Viet Nam in 1965 and Irene came home to live with family. They wrote to each other constantly. After Chris' tour in Viet Nam was over, they eventually settled back in Pensacola when his term of service was up. Irene and Chris bought their first house behind the current Sacred Heart Hospital and Irene gave birth to her first son, Duel, Jr. in 1968 and her second son, Kenneth, in 1971. Irene was an excellent homemaker in the earlier years, always having a well-fed and dressed family. They moved to East Hill in the early 1970's, just three blocks from her parents. When her son's first attended school at East Hill Christian she became an administrative assistant and was always near her boys. The family moved to Exmouth, Western Australia in 1978 and lived in the outback near a navy base. They had many wild adventures with kangaroos, emu birds, sharks, and sheep. They befriended a sheep ranch owner and stayed overnight on the ranch during shearing season helping out the ranchers.

The family returned to Pensacola in 1981 and resided in Cordova Park. Irene worked at Pensacola Junior College in Adult Basic Education for many years while her sons were in school. When they were in college Irene attended cosmetology school and earned her certificate as an aesthetician. She worked in the salon at Gayfer's for many years before finding work in various salons around town. She was a highly sought after aesthetician and had a very steady stream of clients. Her sons and husband were her guinea pigs for testing out new skin care products, creams, masks, and more. She retired from work in the late 'teens and spent her time "running the streets" with her friends and attending church functions, particularly her Bible study group, Women at the Well at First United Methodist.

Irene was a cherished lady. She loved and cared for her family and friends dearly, always smiling, and enthusiastic about whatever was before her. She always helped out with the church's youth group and youth choir, even chaperoning a choir tour in 1987. She made original Halloween costumes for her sons and took them out on shopping trips for school clothes, and later on first apartment needs. She was close with her extended family and always visited, or had visits from family and friends all throughout her life. She was also an avid fan of Dr. Pepper and always had several packs of mini-bottles in the refrigerator. She will be greatly missed and remembered.

Irene is preceded in death by her parents, Leo Alton and Mary Davis Wesley.

Survivors include her husband, MAJ Duel "Chris" Christian, USMC (ret.); her sons, Duel Jr. and Kenneth Christian; as well as her grandchildren, Connor, Maryn, and Piper Christian.

Visitation will be held 4:00pm-6:00pm Monday, December 18, 2023 at Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel. Funeral Service will be held 11:30am Tuesday, December 19, 2023 at First United Methodist Church, Pensacola, with Dr. Henry Roberts officiating. Interment will follow at Barrancas National Cemetery, Pensacola.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First United Methodist Church, 6 E. Wright St., Pensacola, FL 32501.