Irene B. Nathan, a retired state welfare administrator and former Northwest Baltimore resident, died Aug. 16 of lung cancer at Ring House, an independent-living facility in Rockville. She was 85.

The former Irene Berger was born in Poland and immigrated to Baltimore with her parents in 1922.

She spent her early years in East Baltimore and then moved with her family to Forest Park, where she graduated from Forest Park High School in 1939.

From 1939 to 1943, she was a medical secretary for Dr. Melvin Radman, a Baltimore obstetrician and gynecologist.

During the 1950s and 1960s, she was office manager for Fisher Real Estate Co. and later was a state welfare administrator before retiring in the 1980s.

Mrs. Nathan, who lived in the Imperial Apartments before moving to Rockville in 2004, enjoyed playing canasta and mah-jongg. She also was an accomplished needleworker.

Her husband of 61 years, Sol Nathan, a municipal employee, died in 2003.

Services were Sunday.

Survivors include a son, Irvin B. Nathan of Washington; a daughter, Marilyn E. Nathan of Malvern, Pa.; five grandsons; eight great-grandchildren and four step-great-grandchildren.