Obituary: Irene Janet Hershman

Irene Janet Hershman, at 96

“All the world is a stage,” Shakespeare famously wrote, and Irene Janet (Zimmerman) Hershman certainly did not shy away from the stage lights, and before exiting center stage, she left her enduring mark. 

She passed peacefully surrounded by family on July 25, 2026 at the age of 96.

She stood out on many a stage – including literally the theatre and musical stage. She was an amazing performer, singing and acting, a real stage presence, truly shining, often in the lead role of a Temple Beth Sholom or other community musical.

Irene was the intrepid traveler, from the summers she spent in the U.K. to study Shakespeare, to so many other trips to Europe, Asia, and Israel. She was never afraid to set sail on her own. So few have experienced the breadth of travel that she did, and she eagerly shared it with anyone willing to listen. Much like her passion for the musical stage, she was driven by curiosity and passion, and she lit a fire that sparked such interest in her children.

She and her husband, Sam, were introduced by their future brother-in-law, Samuel Aaron, and Irene’s sister Lila. They quickly fell in love and were married months later, on October 4, 1953. They spent many wonderful years together, raising three children in Hull, before Sam’s untimely death in 1982.

Irene was in the vanguard of the women’s movement. While working multiple jobs and studying, she graduated from Boston University in 1951, a time when few women had the opportunity to go to college. And she was awarded the BU Cup for her demonstrated leadership and extraordinary achievements.

Initially trained in bookkeeping, she quickly realized that while she could earn a living in that field, that was not what she’d really like to do. So, she went back to school, eventually earned a master’s degree + 60 credits.

And she started teaching. She was an outstanding English teacher at Hull High School, recognized by both faculty colleagues and students. She excelled, both on the intellectual side, sharpened by her love of Shakespeare and drama, and on the human side. She embraced both the great student and the struggling learner. She was beloved by former students, and so many have commented over the years about how both her caring and challenging approach inspired them to go on to more learning, or for others to get through high school and get a degree.

Irene created the best scrapbooks and cards – for birthdays, anniversaries, you name it. The cards were handwritten and filled with meaningful, often inspiring comments that captured a key element of the moment. She was a wonderful, creative writer. The scrapbooks, filled with pics across the years and complemented by apt commentary, are a treasure.

As parents, Irene and Sam provided their children with roots and wings in abundance, and that is the most important thing you can do as a parent, especially the strong roots of feeling loved, important, and that you matter. Both inspired their children to dream big and then do the work needed to transform dreams into reality. Irene opened up a wide world to her children, encouraging them to go on the journey and to deal with the obstacles.

But her wonderful life was not all a bed of roses. She had to deal with disappointment and heartbreak: from the loss of her father at a young age; to Sam’s premature death; to being among the very last of her birth cohort still living; more recently, her challenges with walking and no longer driving.

Getting old is not for the sissy, the wimp, and she was no wimp. Until recent years, she regularly took five-plus-mile walks. And anyone who saw the “Blond Bomber” marching up Beacon Road on Allerton Hill can testify to that resolve, and to her stylish outfits, as she did pay attention to her appearance. To the very end, she kept learning, whether off her iPad or television. She actively discussed current events, especially politics, and she displayed an unshakable belief in herself and life.

So, while all the world is a stage, so often, it was really her stage – from the home, to the classroom, to the theater, to the world she saw through travel.

Irene, Mom, we thank you for your passion for learning, your daring sense of adventure and possibility, your modeling of grit and resilience, and thank you for your love.

Irene was the proud mother of Warren (Virginia), June (Lori Wolfe), and Sheri (Peter Boretti). She was the loving grandmother of Samantha Boretti, Nicholas Boretti (Allison), Brian Holmes, Samuel Hershman, Elliana Hershman, Casey Isernio (Pete), and Ryan Wolfe (Danielle); the doting great-grandmother of Walker Boretti, Jaxson Boretti, Landon Holmes, Lenna Holmes, Aria Holmes, Colin Isernio, and Oliver Wolfe. She was the dear sister of the late Lila Aaron and Alexander Zimmerman, and loving daughter of Jessie Zimmerman and Sybil Kreutch.
Irene’s funeral service was held on Wednesday, July 29 at Congregation Sha’aray Shalom, 112 Main Street, Hingham. Burial was at Hull Village Cemetery.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend shiva at the home of Sheri and Peter Boretti on Thursday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, Irene requested that donations be made to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or online at www.stjude.org.