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Dyer, Irene
Irene Dyer, 87, died Sunday, Aug. 1, 2010, in St. Paul, Minn., in the arms of her son and daughter.
Irene was a lifelong resident of Iowa City. She was born at home, the first of five children, to George and Irene Alberhasky. Irene was nicknamed “Bunny” by her cousin Virginia when they were young girls and it stuck throughout her long life. She was proud to be in the first graduating class of newly built City High School and worked first as a waitress at Whetstones, earning enough money to attend business school. When the war broke out, she packed her bags for Long Beach, Calif., where she worked as a messenger in the shipyards and danced to big band music with friends on the Pike. This is where she met her lifelong dancing partner, Gene Dyer. They returned to Iowa City to raise a family, build Bon-Aire Mobile Home Court and own the Airlane Motel. For 48 years, Bunny took great pride in managing the Airlane, which was a source of many true life stories she loved to share. After closing the motel, Bunny lived in downtown Iowa City, where she enjoyed the summer music scene. She will always be cherished for her wisdom, humor and plain truth approach to life.
Bunny's family includes son, Kurt Dyer and grandsons Travis and Taylor of Iowa City; daughter, Vickie Abrahamson of Minneapolis, Minn.; grandson, Tony Abrahamson of Burbank, Calif.; granddaughter, Nedret and Adam Rix; and great-grandchildren, Samuel and Astoria of St. Paul, Minn.
She was preceded in death by husband, Gene; and Alberhasky siblings Tom, Joe, Fran and Audrey.
Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6, 2010, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City. There will be a visitation one hour before services at the funeral home. Burial will be at Memory Gardens, Iowa City. A reception following the burial will be at the home of longtime friend Isabelle Smith.
The Irene “Bunny” Dyer Memorial Fund has been set up through the Summer of the Arts in support of the Friday Night Concert Series, P. O. Box 3128, Iowa City, IA 52244.
Online condolences for the family may be sent to or 117 Portland Ave., No. 701, Minneapolis, MN 55401.
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