She was the second of seven kids, six daughters - Margaret, Irene, Clara, Bernice, Alice, Diane and one son - Robert. She was a beautiful, talented and energetic girl who loved her family and contributed much joy to the mix. Mom cherished memories of an early farming life, especially helping her dad with the annual orchard harvesting, climbing ladders and picking apples to box and sell.
When Irene was a young girl her family moved to Portland and bought a home in the city. Her father got a job as a longshoreman on the docks and her mother raised the kids. Irene grew and matured into a vivacious young woman who loved to dance to the big band swing music of the 30s and 40s, swimming and riding the roller-coaster at Jantzen Beach Amusement Park ("The Coney Island of the West") and going to as many football games as the family could afford while attending Jefferson High School from which she graduated in 1937.
Her parents were devout Christians and mom and her siblings attended the Foursquare Gospel church in Portland. Irene accepted the Lord Jesus as her Savior at a young age and learned to know and love Him. She developed a life-long love for the Bible, devotion to prayer and a strong perseverance in faith which brought her through many difficult times. As a child of the great depression she learned the value of hard work. As there was no money for girls to go to college, after high school she started as a cashier for Meier & Frank and then moved on to secretarial positions at Bethlehem Steel in Portland.
Irene married her first husband and at the age of 23 she had her first daughter Priscilla Teadtke (Tillamook, Or). Her first husband was killed in World War II. Irene met and married her second husband Ted Dethlefs in Seattle, WA on December 29th, 1945. They resided in Seattle and had four children together, Ronald Dethlefs (Cookeville, TN), LeDonna Hill (Nampa, ID), Loren Dethlefs (Arlington, TX) and Keith Dethlefs (Grapevine, TX). While raising her family Irene held jobs at Virginia Mason Medical Center and later in the comptroller’s office for King County, both positions in downtown Seattle.
Irene had a great sense of humor, enjoyed playing card games and was an amazing cook! She baked incredible blackberry, raspberry and strawberry-rhubarb pies. She was the family diplomat and peacemaker, the one who always reminded us that God loved us, died for our sins and was watching how we lived.
Ted and Irene retired to Everett, WA where they became avid travelers with their small cabin cruiser boat, a van and a pull-behind trailer. They enjoyed visiting many parks in the western United States, staying in the colder months in Apache Junction, AZ and visiting many ports of call in the Puget Sound on their boat and even up to Victoria, BC Canada! Irene served on the hospital and invalid visitation program at her church in Everett, WA and would often share how meaningful it was to her to serve her Lord that way.
Irene moved to the DFW area in 2006 to be closer to family. She lived independently at Franklin Park/Atria Hometown in North Richland Hills, TX until she was 98 years of age. Her last two years she lived at Meadowbrook Memory Care facility in Arlington, TX. She went to be with her Savior on Tuesday evening Oct. 1st, 2019 at the age of 100 years.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
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