Irene Margaret Wells

Irene M. (Mills) Wells Born April 16, 1933 in Munster, Indiana Irene M. (Mills) Wells was the oldest of 3 daughters. Irene was preceded in death by her mother Margaret, her father Lawrence and sister Audrey who were there to greet her when she entered the gates of heaven on January 27th, 2008. She is survived by her son Dale (Dee) Wells; daughter Lynn (Michael) VanOrsdale; granddaughters Lauren and Olivia VanOrsdale; sister Loraine (Crooks). Her childhood was one where hard work and sacrifice were the norm and Irene grew up to be a hard working, generous and loving woman. Raised during the depression she spent her summers working in the families fields and tending the roadside fruit and vegetable stand. Women would wait in line to have Irene "thump" a melon; because they knew she could pick out the best ones. Her love of gardening continued throughout her adult life. In 1952, she married Jerry J. Wells and went on to give birth to her children, Dale and Lynn who love her very much, and feel blessed to have had her as a mother and role model. Irene was frequently a "foster" mom to her children's friends who loved to hang out at her house and talk. She always had time to listen to their problems and concerns and offer advice and hugs while keeping the refrigerator well stocked for the hordes of hungry teenagers who would converge upon her home. Irene spent over 20 years working for the Jefferson County Highway Dept where she held many jobs including the maintenance of rest stops along the interstate. It was common to have visitors stop her and tell her how they would drive the extra miles just to stop at Irene's rest stops because they were so much cleaner and nicer than the others. Following her retirement she moved to Weyerhaeuser, WI and enjoyed a few years of lake living before her declining health forced her to move closer to her children in Stillwater, MN. A fighter to the end, Irene battled so many physical maladies in her last years, she joked that she had more lives than a cat. Though multiple surgeries, complications and a slow steady decline in her ability to do things on her own; she maintained a tremendous sense of humor and a drive to be independent. She will be missed by all who had the privilege to know her. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 AM Saturday 2/2/2008 at St. Michaelâ