Irene Becker

Irene R. Becker age 87 of Melrose, died peacefully surrounded by her family on Thursday, May 28, 2015 at her home in Melrose, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, June 1 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose with Rev. Marvin Enneking officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday and from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose. The Christian Mothers, Sts. Bernard and Elizabeth Council, and the VFW Auxiliary will pray at 5 p.m. followed by parish prayers at 7 p.m. Sunday evening at the funeral home.

Irene Regina Hortsch was born August 27, 1927 in St. Francis, Minnesota to Edward and Ida (Dehler) Hortsch. She was united in marriage to Olaf E. Becker on September 1, 1947 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Melrose. Irene was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She enjoyed playing cards, baking cookies, and her favorite pastime was remembering others with greeting cards. Irene was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose, Christian Mothers, Sts. Bernard and Elizabeth Council, and the Schanhaar-Otte VFW Post 7050 Auxiliary.

Survivors include her children, Karen (Don) Strobel of Savage, Diane (Virg) Hanson of Belle Plaine, Eddie (Kathy) Becker of St. Cloud, Barb Becker of Bloomington, and Mary (Scot) Prettyman of Eagan; grandchildren, Andy, Jennifer, and Mark; step-grandchildren, Dave, Scott, and Eric; great-grandchildren, Lily, Taylor, Ryleigh, and Peyton; step-great-grandchildren, Shelby, Abby, Hally, Max, and Zach; and sister-in-law, Barb Hortsch of Portland, Oregon.

Irene was preceded in death by her husband, Olaf Becker on February 8, 1998; parents; brothers and sisters, Edna Ostendorf, Mildred Harren, Mary Catherine Theiler, Everett Hortsch, and Herb Hortsch.

Serving as casket bearers will be Andy Becker, Mark Becker, Henry Becker, Tom Ostendorf, Tim Ostendorf, Eric Michaelis, Steven Tobroxen, and Ken Maus. Cross bearer will be Jennifer Bevan and scripture bearer will be Lily Becker. Honorary bearers will be Alice Boeckermann, Kitty Mueller, Bernie Wiehoff, Mary Schad, Rosemary Shequen, Fran Schreifels, Ruth Braegelmann, Sally Hinnenkamp, Gail Schlicht, Bernice Welters, Irene Pohlmann, and Irene Tschida.