Irene Mathyssen: key obituary facts
Is Irene Mathyssen dead? Yes. Irene Mathyssen died on October 13, 2026, at age 75.
Cause of death: Irene Mathyssen's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Irene Mathyssen known for?
She was a Canadian politician.
More about Irene Mathyssen
Born: 16 August 1951.
Place of birth: London.
Gender: female.
Occupation: politician, teacher, community organizer.
Nationality: Canada.
Education: University of Western Ontario.
Irene Mathyssen, a community activist, high school teacher and Canadian politician, died October 13, 2026, aged 75.
Born in London, Ontario, on August 16, 1951, she studied at the University of Western Ontario from 1970 to 1975, earning a Bachelor of Arts in English and Drama and a Bachelor of Education. She taught English at Saunders Secondary School in London, where she remained until 2006, except for a five-year leave while serving in provincial office.
Mathyssen entered the Ontario Legislature in 1990, winning the Middlesex riding by 520 votes over incumbent Liberal Doug Reycraft. As a New Democratic Party MPP, she served until 1995, including as government whip from 1990 to 1991 and parliamentary assistant to the environment minister from 1991 to 1994. She also briefly served as a minister in Premier Bob Rae’s government. In 2006, she was elected to the House of Commons, where she served as a Member of Parliament until 2019. Her career included community organizing, classroom teaching and elected service at both provincial and federal levels.