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Benischek, Irene
Irene Benischek, 93, of Olin, died Friday, Sept. 16, 2011, at Silvercrest in Anamosa. Irene's family will celebrate her life on Wednesday, Sept. 21, at 10:30 a.m. at St. John Lutheran Church in Olin. Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Lahey Funeral Home in Olin. Visitation also will be held one hour before service time Wednesday at the church. Burial will be in Stanwood Cemetery, Stanwood.
Irene Rose Carolyn Wigger was born Oct. 31, 1917, in Jones County, Iowa, to Carl and Amelia (Von Behren) Wigger. She graduated from high school in 1935. She married W. Grover Benischek on Feb. 22, 1937. They became the parents
of two children, JoAnn and John. Irene was baptized, confirmed, and married at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Stanwood, where she taught Sunday school
until she married. She then transferred her membership to St. John Lutheran Church in Olin.
She was a homemaker and helped with farm work. She was also employed for a time at two local grocery stores. She enjoyed baking rye bread, apple pies and Christmas Klutjon cookies for family, friends and church bake sales. Her decorated tissue boxes adorned many homes through the years. She belonged to the church circle, Unity Community Club, Happy Homemakers and two other card clubs.
She is survived by one daughter, JoAnn (Keith) Dirks of Center Junction; two grandsons, Kim (Karen) Dirks of Sioux City and Kurt (Tausha) Dirks of Glendale, Mo.; four great-grandchildren, Allison, Andrew, Davis and Katherine; and one great-great-grandson, Derrick. Also surviving are her sister, Leone (Edwin) Limond of Redding, Calif.;
a sister-in-law, Kathryn Benischek of Cedar Rapids; and 15 nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her 12-year-old son, John in 1960; her husband, Grover in 1993; one sister, Louise; and three brothers, John, Howard and Melvin.
Memorials may be given in her name to St. Luke's Hospice, Jones Regional Medical Center or St. John Lutheran Church in Olin.
Online condolences may be left for the family at .
Published Sept. 19, 2011, in The Gazette
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