It is with deep sadness that we must inform you of the passing of our founder, Irene Gauthier, at the age of 90 on Monday, October 25, 2010. We are thankful that her transition went rather quickly and was relatively painless. On the Saturday prior, she was at her school proudly participating in our annual Holistic Palooza. She kept herself busy working with our students and their clients. Then on Sunday afternoon, we took her to the hospital with laborious breathing and low back pain. She slipped peacefully away in her sleep on Monday evening.

It would seem that after 90 years of beating, Irene's heart gave out. She was surrounded in her hospital room by her family and many close friends, all of them giving their love and support. The prayers, energy work and Tibetan Singing Bowls brought comfort to everyone present. It was a very spiritual experience, just the way Irene would have wanted it. Also, she was working right up to the end, something she always hoped for.

A proud Finnish woman, Irene was born in 1920 in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. In 1938, she moved to Detroit to attend beauty school where her interest in natural health and healing began and her passion for bodywork was sparked. She later went on to own a beauty parlor in the 1950s, and practiced reflexology on her clients as they sat under the hair dryer. Building upon knowledge passed down from her father and grandmother, Irene began formally studying massage at this time.

Utilizing her natural born gift and years of experience, she developed myomassology as a comprehensive healing art. Myomassology provides the practitioner with a variety of skills to tailor to each client, allowing maximum healing to occur. Irene always said, "Regular massage is just rub, rub, rub. I do Myomassology!"

By 1970, Irene began sharing her knowledge with students in the basement of her home. In 1987, she opened her first state-licensed massage school at the age of 67. She has forged a path for the thousands of students who will carry on her wisdom. She traveled the world offering master classes, developing her reputation as one of the foremost authorities on bodywork.

Irene was still coming to work everyday at what is now known as Irene's Myomassology Institute. The Institute is the Midwest's most well known and respected school for massage therapy. Her school is well known as a place where careers begin and lives are transformed. Irene's teachings and healing energies will be carried on here to future generations by her many devoted instructors.

On June 18, 2010, Irene celebrated her 90th birthday with 1,200 people at her school in Southfield. The party was an amazing tribute to Irene's years of dedicated accomplishments. Although her presence is greatly missed by her family and those at her school, her spirit lives on in all of us.

Irene is survived by her children William, Yvonne, Lynn and Kathy, in addition to her three grandchildren Tiffany, Chad and Christian. There will be a public memorial service for her on Wednesday, December 8, 2010 at 7:00pm at: Shriners Auditorium 24350 Southfield Road Southfield, MI 48075.

Irene Gauthier was a devoted sponsor of Plan USA for over 21 years and her contributions have changed the lives of children all over the world. Instead of flowers, if you would like to make a donation in her memory, you can go online to www.planusa.org, click on "Ways to Give" tab and then the "Give in Honor or Memory Of" tab. You can make a gift of hope for safe clean water, malaria nets, education and other worthy causes.