Irene Elizabeth (Welp) FONKEN

FONKEN, WELP, MECHAELSEN, JENSEN, PEARSON, CRAIG, DANIELL, DONAHUE, HELFTER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/23/2011 at 15:35:35

June 27, 1915 -- July 31, 1999

Irene Fonken, 84, Kamrar, Iowa died Saturday, July 31, 1999 at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Foster Funeral home in Webster City with Rev. Brian Carter officiating. Burial will be in the Presbyterian Cemetery, east of Kamrar. Visitation will be at the funeral home from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and prior to the service on Wednesday.

Irene Elizabeth Welp, daughter of Eppo and Bertha Mechaelsen Welp, was born June 27, 1915 at Kamrar. She graduated from Kamrar High School in 1931 and attended Normal School training. She taught in a rural school near Kamrar. On August 10, 1934 she married George Fonken at Eagle Grove. The couple resided in Marshalltown for a short time then moved to Kamrar. She had been employed at the Hamilton County Public Hospital as a nursing assistant for 21 years. Mr. Fonken died Oct. 21, 1969. She retired in 1981.

Survivors are a son and daughter-in-law, Gerald (Gary) and Marlene Fonken, Upland, CA., daughters and son-in-law, Janice Jensen and Ruth Pearson, both of Marshalltown, Beverly and David Craig of Webster City, 11 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, brothers, Lloyd Welp of Davenport, Edwin Welp, Ames; sisters, Eunice Daniell of Branson, MO., Dorothy Donahue, Kamrar, sister-in-law, Dorothy Welp of Jewell, several nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents, son-in-law, Perry Pearson, brothers, Marion and Willis Welp, sister, Helen Welp, and nieces Barbara Helfter and Jane Welp.

She was a member of the Kamrar United Methodist Church, where she had taught Sunday school, Bible school, played the organ and belonged to the United Methodist Women. She was a Southfield Care Center Volunteer, Hamilton County Public Hospital Auxiliary member, Hamilton County Historical Society Member, a Kamrar Town and Country Garden Club member, organizer and worker with the Congregate Meals program, and a volunteer with numerous Hamilton County projects.

Daily Freeman Journal - Webster City, Iowa
2 August 1999