On February 16 – one day prior to Sea Isle City’s 2017 Polar Bear Plunge Weekend – elected officials, civic group leaders and other members of the community gathered at Excursion Park for a dedication ceremony in honor of Dr. Irene Jameson, Sea Isle’s former Director of Public Relations. During the ceremony, Mayor Leonard Desiderio unveiled a bronze plaque that highlighted the many accomplishments and contributions to the community made by the resort’s original Polar Bear Queen.
A bronze plaque highlighting Dr. Irene Jameson’s many contributions to Sea Isle City now sits at the base of Excursion Park, where tens of thousands of people enjoy concerts, festivals and other activities each year.
After a very successful career with the Philadelphia School District, Dr. Jameson and her husband, John, moved permanently to Sea Isle City in 1986 to enjoy their “retirement.” For Irene, a happy retirement would include being actively involved with many local civic groups, including AARP Chapter 710 and Sea Isle’s Beautification Committee, Environmental Commission, Historical Society and Tourism Commission. During that time, she also co-founded Sea Isle’s Beachcomber Guided Tours and North End Committee, and she was an beloved member of the Top Ten Book Club, whose members often wore costumes to meetings and appeared in local parades.
On February 16, Sea Isle City Tourism Representative Diane Merson (at left), Cathy Fagan and Bill Quinn held photos of their friend, Dr. Irene Jameson, while standing next to the soon-to-be unveiled bronze plaque at Excursion Park.
In addition to her many civic contributions, Dr. Jameson also served as Sea Isle’s Director of Public Relations from 1989 to 2008, during which time she was also a volunteer emcee during Sea Isle’s free summer events, including the resort’s Family Dance Parties, Pet Shows, Concerts and Dance Parties.
Irene Jameson greatly appreciated the value of preserving history – and her fellow members of the Sea Isle City Historical Society would agree. Shown next to the bronze plaque honoring her memory are Historical Society volunteers (from left) Jennie Hadfield, President Mike McHale, Trustee Marie Peltier, Vice-President Abby Powell, Membership Chairperson Eleanor Moore and Trustee Bob Thibault.
In 1994, while working with the Tourism Commission, Irene was the first to suggest hosting a Polar Bear Plunge in Sea Isle City – and for the next thirteen years she led countless plungers into the ocean as Sea Isle’s first “Polar Bear Queen.”
While working with the Sea Isle City Tourism Commission, Dr. Irene Jameson helped launch a variety of community events – including the annual Polar Bear Plunge. Shown are past and present Tourism Commission members during the dedication ceremony on February 16 (from left) Mark Ternosky, Tourism Representative and Commission Board Secretary Diane Merson, City Council President Bill Kehner, Marie Berrodin and Mayor Leonard Desiderio.
When Dr. Jameson passed away in 2015 at the age of 90, many residents and visitors began to ask if some type of memorial would be created in her memory. The bronze plaque that now stands at the base of Excursion Park was erected using private funds donated by many of Dr. Jameson’s friends and admirers.
“Without a doubt, Irene Jameson – or “Dr. J” as I liked to call her – was a Sea Isle City Treasure,” said Mayor Desiderio. “She was a wonderful community servant.”
“Sea Isle City meant the world to Irene, and she loved the people of this town very much,” said Director of Community Services Katherine Custer, who was hired by the City to run Sea Isle’s Public Relations Office when Dr. Jameson retired. “I knew I would have big shoes to fill when I took this job, and I quickly realized that there would only be one Irene Jameson. I can only hope to be half the person she was, because Irene was truly one in a million. She is greatly missed.”
