Obituary of Irene F. Irwin

Irene F. Irwin, age 83 of Leonardville, Kansas died Sunday, November 2, 2014 at the Mercy Regional Health Center in Manhattan, Kansas. She was born on March 16, 1931 in Combine Creek, Bristol Bay, Alaska, the daughter of Alfred and Molly Withrow. She married Robert Walker in April of 1949 in Holy Cross, Alaska. They had three sons, Robert Jr., John and Elmer. They later divorced. She then married Raymond Rippe on February 14, 1956. The had five children, Gladys, Alice, Sheryl, Dean and Sharon. They later divorced and he preceded her in death in 1990. She then later married Jack Irwin. He also preceded her in death. Irene was a homemaker but also cooked for many restaurants. She loved to sew, especially furs, making all kinds of clothes, moccasins and jewelry for her family. She is survived by three sons, Robert Walker of Anvik, Alaska, John Rippe and wife Linda of Troy, Missouri and Dean Rippe and partner Kathy of Alliance, Nebraska; three daughters, Alice Geisler and husband Jim of Leonardville, Sheryl Walker and husband Chuck of Leonardville and Sharon Ditsch of Alliance, Nebraska; one brother, Jim Withrow of Nenana, Alaska; two sisters, Alice Demientiff and husband Luke of Holy Cross, Alaska and Gladys Carter of Dayton, Ohio; 18 grandchildren, 26 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild. In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by one brother, Elmer Rippe; one sister, Gladys Clarkson; a daughter-in-law, Julie Walker and a son-in-law, Tom Ditsch. Graveside services will be held at 2:30 P.M. Friday, November 7, 2014 at the Leonardville Cemetery with Pastor Kevin Larson officiating. Respect calls may be made anytime Thursday at the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home in Riley, Kansas. A memorial has been established for the Irene Irwin Memorial Fund. Contributions may be left in care of the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home in Riley, Kansas.