Brecht, Irene Finley

Irene Finley Brecht, 88, of Cedar Rapids, died Sunday evening, Oct. 21, 2012, at Living Center East. Funeral Mass: 10:30 a.m. Friday at Saint Ludmila Catholic Church by Father Dennis Juhl. Burial: Saint Patrick's Cemetery, Fairfax. Friends may call from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday at Papich-Kuba Janeba Chapel West, 1604 J St. SW, Cedar Rapids, and after 9:30 a.m. Friday at the church. A vigil service begins at 6 p.m. Thursday at the funeral chapel. Irene's wishes were to be cremated.

Irene is survived by her son, Mike Brecht and wife Judy, Cedar Rapids; two stepchildren, Ray Brecht, Cedar Rapids and Betty Vondracek and husband Larry, Fairfax; one very special grandson, Scott Timothy Brecht; six special stepgrandchildren, Kevin (Joan) Vondracek, Keely (Dan) Nemec, Kyle Vondracek, Sharon (Pat) Stepanek, Sandi Lafferty and Susan (Kevin) Rigdon; and 13 stepgreat-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold; her parents; sisters, Betty Jean Finley and Margaret Pawlak; stepdaughter-in-law Bonnie Brecht; and a brother, Bob Finley.,

Irene was born May 24, 1924, in Kansas City, Mo., the daughter of Jess and Odessa (Ellerman) Finley. She lived her early years in Brooklyn, Iowa, and graduated from high school in 1942. Irene moved to Cedar Rapids in 1942 and married Harold Brecht on April 16, 1955. He died on March 8, 1984. Irene had worked at McKesson Robbins, Cryovac and before her retirement in 2000, she had worked at Pratt Audio Visual for 34 years.

Irene's family was her most important joy and she would thank them all for the love she received from them. Especially the joy her grandson Scott gave to her.

No flowers, please. Memorial contributions may be given to Saint Ludmila Catholic Church.

Online condolences may be left for the family at under “obituaries.”

Published in The Gazette Oct. 24, 2012.