Irene Vedders

Funeral services for Irene Vedders, age 95, of Milaca, will be held Friday, March 28, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. at the Pease Christian Reformed Church with Rev. Michael Ten Haken officiating.  Visitation will take place from 5:00-8:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 27 at the church.  Interment will follow at the Pease Cemetery. Irene Vedders was born February 04, 1919 to Ben and Sophia (Krumm) Wieberdink on a farm near Prinsburg, MN.  She went to the Riverside Christian School through eighth grade.   As a teenager, she moved with her family to Lynden, WA.  Moving back to the Pease area a few years later. She married John Vedders on October 11, 1940.  They lived on the family farm, moving in with John’s family.   To them, was born one daughter and nine sons.  In 1952, they moved to Tucson, AZ, due to the health of some of the children, but returning one and a half years later.  She lived on the farm for 35 years.    She also resided in Milaca and Pease, moving to Country Meadows six years ago, and to the Milaca Elim Home in January.   She was a homemaker.  She also worked at the Milaca Elim Home and Ben Franklin. She also worked at the Devon Gables Nursing Home in Tucson, AZ.  Irene was a lifetime member of the Pease Christian Reformed Church.  She was a Sunday school teacher, VBS teacher, worked on the decorating committee. She also belonged to the Mission Society and Ladies Aide.  She was also involved with the Christian Women’s Club. Irene was very talented.  She has played the steel guitar since 1939. She has oil painted many pictures in which her family has enjoyed and even painted one three weeks before she passed away.  She enjoyed sewing, crocheting, and knitting.  She especially enjoyed traveling, spending many winters in AZ and FL. She never realized her dream of going overseas.  She also loved reading and doing crossword puzzles, which she did everyday until a couple of weeks ago. Irene passed away March 24, 2014 at the Milaca Elim Home. She is survived by her daughter, Sharon (Virgil) Minks of Milaca; sons, Clint (Sandy) of Princeton, Lee of Mankato, Paul of Mora, Don (Robin) of Greenville, SC, Harvey (Shelly) of Milaca, Terry (Suzette) of Milaca, and Phil (Debbie) of Princeton; 24 grandchildren; 44 great-grandchildren; 6 great-great grandchildren; and 3 sisters-in-law; also by many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Irene was preceded in death by her parents; husband, John; sons, Stanley and Wendell; grandson, John; brothers, Arthur and Vernon; and sisters, Abbie, Laura, Amanda, and Ruth.