Irene Margaret MacAlister was born July 30, 1926, in Herminie, Pennsylvania. Her parents were James MacAlister, born in Mt. Pleasant, Ohio, and Mary Linder, born in Germany.

At the time of her marriage to George Yakulis on June 19, 1950, Irene, a nurse, was a resident of 4534 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh. George, born May 19, 1921, was the son of Charles W. Zakulis, born in Lithuania, and Josephine Yuskiewicz, born in Appolo, Pennsylvania. George and Irene were married at St. Casimir's Church, East Vandergrift, Pennsylvania.