Irene Leuthard

Irene Leuthard, age 101, of Wheaton, Minnesota passed away Saturday, October 8, 2016 at the Traverse Care Center in Wheaton.

Funeral Services will be held Friday, October 14, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. at St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton with Rev. Michael Breach officiating. Organist will be Theresa Thiel with special music by Dennis Johnson.

Visitation will be held Thursday evening, October 13th from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a 6:30 p.m. Prayer Service at the Bainbridge Funeral Home in Wheaton. Visitation will continue one hour prior to service time at the church on Friday.

Interment will be in St. John Lutheran Cemetery, rural Wheaton. Pallbearers will be Irene's nieces and nephews.

Irene MaryAnn Leuthard was born April 20, 1915 in Rock Falls, Illinois to Henry and Helena (Plautz) Oltman. She was baptized May 23, 1915 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Rock Falls. The family moved from Rock Falls to a farm north of Wheaton, Minnesota when Irene was three years old. Irene was confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Monson Township, rural Wheaton.

She spent her younger years helping dad with farm work and developing a love for horses. Irene moved into Wheaton and worked at several cafés cooking and waitressing. Her last waitressing job was at Standard Café. On January 7, 1956 Irene married Leonard Leuthard. They were married for thirty-eight years until Leonard's passing on May 6, 1994.

Irene loved to garden and bake with her favorites being donuts and pumpkin pie. She won many ribbons at the Traverse County Fair for her baking, flowers and vegetables. One of her favorite prizes at the fair was a mostly white, tabby kitty she found and adopted. Irene named him "Kitty". He passed away earlier this year.

Irene enjoyed volunteering at the Traverse Care Center for sing-a-long and poem club. She also enjoyed volunteering at church. Irene loved to travel in the motorhome, spending time visiting with relatives and friends. She loved to have the children of relatives sing and perform, especially at Christmas time.

In November of 2010 Irene entered the Traverse Care Center to entertain the staff and nurses with her stories and memories. The Lord blessed Irene with a long, full life.

Irene is survived by numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. Irene was preceded in death by her husband, parents and ten siblings.