Irene (Keymeulen) Hyland

EXETER, NH – Irène (Keymeulen) Hyland, 84, formerly of Charlestown, RI and Antwerp, Belgium, died from Alzheimer’s on August 7, 2013. Irène was born July 27, 1929 in Antwerp, Belgium, daughter of the late Jeanne and Fernand Keymeulen. She graduated from the Collège Marie José in 1947. Irène learned tennis at her father’s tennis club, known as “The Pulhof,” and became a ranked player and tennis professional. In the 1950’s, she married André Blie and raised their three daughters: Michèle, Martine, and Marianne. After working for several years in the diamond industry, she founded her own tennis school and made tennis her full-time profession. In 1979, Irène emigrated to Rhode Island to marry Kerwin Hyland, Professor of Zoology at the University of Rhode Island. She continued teaching tennis and coached the Narragansett (RI) High School girls’ tennis team, winning their division title in 1980. In addition to her passion for tennis, Irène was an avid hiker, cook, gardener, and home renovator. She loved the Rhode Island beaches – especially swimming with her dogs and collecting mussels to cook “Moules Marinières” Belgian style. Upon retiring, the Hylands moved to Exeter, New Hampshire and moved to the Riverwoods retirement community three years ago. Irène is lovingly survived by Kerv, her husband of 33 years; her three daughters, Michèle Van Grembergen in France, Martine Blie in Belgium, and Marianne Housiau of Oviedo, FL; plus four stepchildren, John Hyland of Boulder, CO, Jeanne Hyland of Santa Fe, NM, Janet Hyland of Fort Myers, FL and Jeffrey Hyland of Stratham, NH; and numerous grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Burial was at Mt. Rose Cemetery in York, PA on August 12, 2013. Heffner Funeral Chapel & Crematory, Inc., 1551 Kenneth Rd., York is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Irène’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association or the Riverwoods retirement community in Exeter, NH.