Ida Mary (nee George) Delaney, daughter of William M. and Laura (nee Hadaad) George, passed away Saturday morning, October 2, 2010 at Belleville, Illinois following a lengthy illness. Besides her parents, Ida was predeceased by her beloved husband Elmer "Donald" Delaney and her four brothers and two sisters with whom she shared a close and loving lifelong bond: Fuaud "Fred" George; Albert George; Maroun J. George; Zerepha (George) Jones; Regina (George) Reiner and Avon George. Ida's son, Lieutenant Colonel James F. Delaney (USAF, Retired), also predeceased her.

She is survived by two grandchildren, James F. Delaney Jr. and his wife Dawn of Bloomer, Wisc.; and Patricia Delaney of Rocklin, Calif. She also leaves behind five great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren, along with many nephews and nieces.

Ida spent the final years of her life in southwestern Illinois with her son, but she always considered Maine to be her home. She was born February 3, 1913 in Clair, New Brunswick, Canada. She lived in various Maine locations, finally settling with her family in Bangor. She attended Saint John's Catholic School and John Bapst Memorial High School in Bangor. After her marriage, she lived in Bangor, Maine, finally moving across the Pnebscot River to Brewer, Maine where she was a communicant at Saint Theresa Catholic Church. Ida worked for many years as a pastry chef at Treadwell's, a restaurant in Hermon, Maine owned by her brother Albert George. She was a talented cook and had boundless energy. She volunteered much of her time helping others, especially the elderly. She enjoyed knitting and other crafts, and liked picking berries and sharing them with others. Ida and her husband "Donald" had a particular fondness for animals. Many abandoned, stray and shelter dogs found a loving and nurturing home with them over the years. Ida's home was always open to anyone in need, alone or just in need of someone to talk to. Ida never liked to say "Goodbye"; she would always say "See You Later"!

Ida is now united with her precious family in the peace of God's presence.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 8:30 am, Wednesday, October 6, 2010 at Saint Nicholas Roman Catholic Church in O'Fallon, Illinois. Final interment will be at Mount Pleasant Catholic Cemetery, located in Bangor, Maine, at a later date.