Irene Kuehne

Irene A. Kuehne, age 85, of Melrose, formerly of Grey Eagle, died Sunday, November 23, 2014 at the Mother of Mercy Nursing Home in Albany, Minnesota. Finding out her cancer returned in June, she decided to just let the Lord take charge of her life and she wasn't going to go through cancer treatments.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, November 28 at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose with Pastor Fred Kutter officiating. Inurnment will be at St. Peter's Lutheran Cemetery in Swanville followed by a lunch at the Senior Center in Grey Eagle.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service on Friday at the funeral home in Melrose.

Irene Alice Peterson was born April 21, 1929 in Grey Eagle Township, Todd County, Minnesota to Carl and Sarah (McDermond) Peterson. Irene worked various jobs as a laborer. On November 3, 1951 Irene married Werner Kuehne at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Swanville. At that same time she was baptized in the Lutheran church. The couple lived in Verndale where they farmed a small farm, and then moved to the Grey Eagle, Burtrum, and Swanville areas. They had no children, but many nieces and nephews who loved them dearly. Werner passed away during a lengthy heart surgery on December 9, 1981. Irene then resided in Grey Eagle and later moved to Melrose. She was a member of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Grey Eagle.

She loved gardening, flowers, fishing, sewing, reading, hummingbirds, and the family times at the cabin in Pillsbury. She was noted in the family for making great pickles and homemade bars. She was a wonderful cook. Her eye sight started to fail her and when she was re-diagnosed with cancer, she decided to go to the Mother of Mercy Nursing Home in Albany.

Irene was preceded in death by her husband, Werner Kuehne; parents; siblings, Evelyn (Lloyd) Berens, Alvin Peterson, Inez (George) Waldvogel, Betty Sharp, and Jeanette Peterson; several brother and sisters-in-law; and other relatives on both the Peterson and Kuehne sides.

Irene will be dearly missed and remembered as a very special lady and aunt by her five dear nieces and their husbands and families, Sherry (Glen) Hiltunen, Kay (Leo) Wolbeck, Cindy (Jim) Schwalbe, Jean (Paul) Jurek, and Bonnie (Bob) Arnzen; sisters-in-law, Angie Peterson, Lenora Ciaccio, and Mildred Kuehne; and many nieces and nephews on the Kuehne and Peterson sides.

The family members greatly appreciate the care Irene received at the Mother of Mercy Nursing Home, from the Albany Area Hospice, and Faith in Action for taking her to many of her appointments.

Serving as urn bearer will be Donald Jurek.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Faith in Action or of choice.