Claassen, Irene E. Dyck (1926-2009)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2009 Sep 14 p. 9

Birth date: 1926 Mar 5

text of obituary:

IRENE CLAASSEN

Irene E. Claassen, 83, of Holmesville, Neb., died Aug. 13, 2009, at Parkview Center in Beatrice. She was born March 5, 1926, to Jacob J. and Marie G. (Harder) Dyck in rural Whitewater, Kan.

She graduated from Potwin High School in 1943 and took classes for two years at Bethel College in North Newton. After college, she taught in a rural country school for five years in Kansas.

She married Ernest G. Claassen on Jan. 20, 1951, in rural Whitewater.

She was a direct care worker at Beatrice State Developmental Center for 25 years. She was a member of Beatrice Mennonite Church and Nebraskans for Peace. For many years she was the Mennonite Weekly Review congregational correspondent for Beatrice Mennonite. She enjoyed spending time with her family, gardening, canning, bird watching and playing board games.

Survivors include her husband, Ernest; two daughters, Linda Claassen Jones of Newton, Kan., and Marian Claassen of Goldendale, Wash.; a son, Richard Claassen and his wife, Ruth, of Truth Or Consequences, N.M.; two sisters, Gertrude Schmidt of North Newton, Kan., and Esther Schmidt of Wichita, Kan.; two brothers, Walter Dyck of Albuquerque, N.M., and Herbert Dyck and his wife, Alice, of Washington, Kan.; two sisters-in-law, Elfrieda Claassen of Beatrice and Wanda Dyck of Newton, Kan.; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by twin infant daughters, Rebecca and Ruth; and 10 siblings.

Memorial services were held at Beatrice Mennonite Church. Inurnment was at Mennonite Cemetery in rural Beatrice.