IRENE DAMSCHEN obituary

Irene M. Damschen, 83, longtime Havre resident, died peacefully Sunday, April 23, 2006, in a Billings Hospital.

A service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Fifth Avenue Christian Church in Havre. Visitation will be at Holland & Bonine Funeral Home from 2 to 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Irene was born Jan. 17, 1923, in Havre to Bert and Pansy Inman. She attended country school west of Havre and graduated from Kremlin High School in 1942.

On May 25, 1942, she married Roy E. Damschen in Bremerton, Wash. During the war, they lived in New York City for a short time before returning to Havre to make their home.

Irene went to work at Northern Montana College in 1957, which was to be a summer job. She worked at the college for 26 years and retired in 1983. During her time at Northern, she made many lasting friends and “trained four bosses.” For many years, Irene was responsible for planting flowers on the NMC campus. Many came to know her as “the plant lady on campus.” In 1984, she received the college's Excellence Award for her dedication and years of service at NMC. She always wanted to ride in “The Goose” and finally got her chance in September 2004.

Irene was an avid sports fan. She actively followed her children and grandchildren in their sports as well as never missing an NMC Lights basketball game for many years. She enjoyed the outdoors. She loved fishing, planting her garden and flowers at the family home, and taking Sunday afternoon rides to Beaver Creek. She was an active member at Fifth Avenue Church, VFW and Eagles.

Irene moved to Billings in 2003 due to health reasons and to be near family.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Leroy and Bert; sisters, Francis and Helen; and infant twin brother and sister.

Survivors include her daughters, Linda (John) Savage of Redcliff, Alberta, Canada, Debby (Dan) Folkerts of Billings; son, Barry (Paddy) Damschen of Helena; eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorials can be made to the Montana State University-Northern Athletic Department or the Northern Rockies Kidney Foundation.