Irene McCaslin

McCaslin, Irene Lavinia Gardner, passed away Sunday, August 22, 2010, following a brief illness. She was born in Wichita, Kansas on December 19, 1927 to Alice and Leroy (L.E.) Gardner. Irene was a beautiful woman, wonderful, fun mother, devoted wife, much loved sister and aunt, true and dear friend. One of six children, she grew up in the Riverside area, graduated from North High School, where she was a popular cheerleader, and attended Wichita State University as an art major. She married her high school sweetheart, Jack, with whom she celebrated her 61st wedding anniversary in January of this year. Jack and Irene had four children whose care and well being became her primary focus. As a young mother she was active in the Children’s Theater, became a Water Safety Instructor, taught swimming lessons, and served as a scout leader. When her children were older, Irene enjoyed teaching art at the Institute of Logopedics, in addition to running their summer camp program. She also worked for several years at Boeing. Passionate about exercise, Irene swam, walked and gardened almost daily throughout her life. She loved nature and saw beauty in everything from a single leaf to the vast expanse of her beloved Kansas sky. A dog lover, animal advocate, talented artist, a prolific and creative knitter….In later years, she became an avid reader of travel books and relished learning about the world. Irene was a truly unique, unpredictable, gifted, funny, crazy, never to be forgotten person whose presence was much larger than her petite frame. She is survived by her husband, Jack H. McCaslin, son Jack H. McCaslin II, daughters Melinda (Mindy) McCaslin and Holly McCaslin, twin sister Iris Weirick, grandchildren Crimson, Lithe, Alice and Paul, three great grandchildren , and numerous nieces and nephews. Irene was preceded in death by her parents, her beautiful daughter, April McCaslin, sisters Mary Billinger, Wilda Galloup, Virginia McIntire, and brother James Gardner. Family memorial only.