Marijane W. Irlbeck — Racine

A funeral Mass for Marijane W. Irlbeck will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 19, at St. Bernard's Catholic Church in Stewartville, with Father John P. Wilmot officiating. Burial will be in the Racine Salem Cemetery in rural Racine following a luncheon. The viewing will be at St. Bernard's Catholic Church on Saturday, Dec. 19. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., with the funeral at 11 a.m. and lunch to follow. Hindt Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.

Mrs. Irlbeck, 80, of rural Racine, passed into eternal life with our Lord on Dec. 16, 2015, at her home after a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer.

Marijane Wilma (Bueltel) Irlbeck was born Nov. 4, 1935, to Leo Bueltel and Dorothy (Bierl) Bueltel at home on the family farm near Templeton, Iowa. She attended Sacred Heart School in Templeton until 1947, when her family moved to a farm near Carroll, Iowa. She attended Saints Peter and Paul Grade School in Carroll and graduated from St. Angela Academy in Carroll in 1953. She worked for her uncle, Ed Bueltel, as a bookkeeper for his trucking company until her marriage. On Aug. 27, 1955, she married Edwin P. Irlbeck at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Carroll, Iowa. The couple farmed near Botna, Iowa, until 1958, when they moved to their present farm home in Racine.

She was a homemaker who raised seven children and assisted with the farm work and managed the bookkeeping for the farm and the family trucking business, Irlbeck Grain & Feed Company. She was a member of St. Bernard's Catholic Church, and enjoyed family celebrations, her prayer group, volunteering at St. Bernard's Church, Stewartville Care Center and Stewartville Senior Citizens Center, playing cards, baking, and gardening, as well as attending many events for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She was known for being an excellent seamstress and had a talent for crocheting, as well as for her legendary cookies and delicious holiday meals. She had great faith, was devoted to God and her family, and will be greatly missed as the matriarch of the Irlbeck family.

Survivors include six children, Kathleen (Daniel) Gehling of Grand Meadow, David (Robin) Irlbeck of Mishicot, Wis., Daryle (Colleen) Irlbeck of Grand Meadow, Douglas (Laura) Irlbeck of Racine, Arlene (Roger) Hanson of Stewartville, and Elizabeth (DeLane) Morris of Rochester; 18 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren; grandchildren and great-grandchildren include Jessica (Trevor) Fretty, and their children Allison Gehling, Isabelle, Nathan and Dustin Fretty, Stephanie (David) Wytaske and daughter Madalyn Wytaske, Christina Gehling, Matthew Gehling, Michael Gehling, and Theresa Gehling; Hannah Irlbeck and her son, Jackson Irlbeck, and Malachi Irlbeck; Jennifer (Dan) Pickett, Marc (Samantha) Irlbeck and their son, Westin, Wendi Irlbeck, and Kayla Irlbeck; Alana (Carl) English and their sons, Peyton and Ethan English, Alyssa Irlbeck (Ian Buller), Aimee Irlbeck and Andrew Irlbeck; Brady Morris and Cody Morris.

She is also survived by two brothers, Arlo (Bonnie) Beultel of Carroll, Iowa, and Dale (Ella Mae) Bueltel of Manilla, Iowa; sister-in law, Marie (Jerry) Berg of Arcadia, Iowa, and brothers-in-law, Luvern Steinkamp of Taopi, Minn., Larry (Joyce) Irlbeck, Elmer (Linda) Irlbeck, both of Westside, Iowa, and Allen (Sue) Irlbeck of Avoca, Iowa, as well as many nieces and nephews, and her dog, Lucky.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Edwin in 2007, a daughter, Patricia in 2009, and an infant granddaughter. She was also preceded in death by two sisters-in-law, Alice Steinkamp and Lavon Irlbeck.

Memorials may be directed to St. Bernard's Catholic Church or the American Cancer Society.