Irene Blanche Schelm 1915-2005

SCHELM, WALL, GARDNER

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 5/1/2009 at 20:15:27

Irene Schelm
March 3, 1915 – January 27, 2005

Irene B. Schelm, age 89 of Mapleton, Iowa, died Thursday, January 27, 2005, in Mapleton.

Services were held 10:00 a.m. Saturday, January 29 at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Mapleton with burial in St. Clair Cemetery, Ute.

Irene Blanche Schelm was born March 3, 1915, in Moorhead, Iowa, to George and Minnie (Wall) Gardner. She was baptized and confirmed into the Christian faith at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Ute. She graduated from High school in Woodbine, Iowa, and taught school for four years before her marriage. She married Earl Schelm on September 26, 1939, at Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church in Omaha, Nebraska. Two daughters were born, Jean and Evelyn. They moved to their farm east of Mapleton in December 1949 and have lived there since then. They have spent their winters for the last 24 years at their home in Sun City West, Arizona.

Irene was an active member of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Mapleton. She loved caring for her flowers and time spent gardening. She had a genuine affection for wildflowers and could easily call them by name. She also truly enjoyed traveling, dancing, and playing bridge.

Survivors include Earl, her husband of 65 years; daughters, Jean Abrahamson and husband, Richard, of Edmond, Oklahoma, and Evelyn Shawver and husband, Marvin, of LeClaire, Iowa; grandchildren, Lisa Abrahamson and husband, John Arne Wang, of Oslo, Norway, Stephen Abrahamson of Fresno, California, and Amanda Murphy of Iowa City, Iowa; great grandchildren, Olivia Alexandra Wang and Isabella Angelique Wang, both of Oslo, Norway; sister, EvLynn Mathews and husband, Vernon, of Wichita, Kansas; and sister-in-law, Gladys Gardner of Moorhead, Iowa; along with many nieces and nephews.

Irene was predeceased by her parents; and sisters, Winnie Leytham, Cecil Dempsey, Pearl Leytham, Florence Britton, Lucille Tripp, and Erma Bowman; and brothers, Donald and Dale Gardner.

Pallbearers were Les Goslar, Irv Walter, Leo Dean, Jim Hasbrouck, Marshall Goslar and Milton Larson.

Arrangements were made under the direction of the Armstrong Funeral Home of Mapleton.