Irene V. McAlpine, age 86, of Sheldon, Iowa, passed away on Monday, December 31, 2012 at the Sanford Sheldon Senior Care in Sheldon, Iowa.
Her services will be Friday, January 4, 2013 at 10:30am at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Sheldon, Iowa with Fr. Allan Reicks ~ officiating. Burial will be in the St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery in Sheldon.
Visitation will be Thursday, January 3, 2013 after 2:00pm with the family present from 5:00 – 7:00pm at the Vander Ploeg Funeral Home in Sheldon, Iowa. A Scripture Wake Service will be at 6:30pm and a parish rosary will be prayed at 7:00pm at the funeral home. The Vander Ploeg Funeral Home in Sheldon, Iowa is in charge of arrangements.
Online memorial condolences may be sent to: vanderploegfunerals.com
Arrangements under the care of Vander Ploeg Funeral Home, Sheldon, Iowa.
Irene Verna McAlpine (Haraldson) was born on January 14, 1926 to Olaus Haraldson and Alvina Bjerke in Jasper, Minnesota. She was raised on a farm near Jasper. As a young girl Irene attended the Rosedell Lutheran Church where she was confirmed. In 1943, she graduated from the Jasper High School. She attended Rasmussen Business College in Sioux Falls graduating in 1944. During World War II she was employed by the Department of Defense, working out of Las Vegas, Nevada. On August 16, 1946 she was united in marriage to Harold (Midge) McAlpine in Luverne, Minnesota. They made their home in Sheldon, Iowa except for a one year period (1957) in New Ulm, Minnesota.
Irene was a member of St. Pat’s Catholic Church since 1946. She was also a member of St. Pat’s Ladies Guild and the VFW Ladies Auxiliary.
Irene was a person of extreme faith and she shared that faith with her children. Irene enjoyed all sort of crafts including knitting, crocheting, sewing and ceramics. She so enjoyed making something special for her children, grandchildren and friends. These special gifts will always be cherished. Irene enjoyed baking and decorating cakes. Irene also enjoyed making traditional Norwegian treats during the holidays. Her “lutefisk” and “lefse” were high on her list of favorites – not sure her children acquired her taste for the “lutefisk”. She enjoyed camping, planting flowers and most of all visiting and spending time with her 10 children, the many grandchildren, great grandchildren and friends. She always had the coffee on, served with a smile and warm hug.
Irene is survived by three daughters; Patricia (Mrs. Craig) Den Hartog of Sheldon, Iowa, Susan (Mrs. Gary) Behrens of Lincoln, Nebraska, Mary Ruyter of Spirit Lake, Iowa; seven sons; William (Bill) McAlpine of Sheldon, Iowa, Patrick McAlpine of Sheldon, Iowa, David (his wife Jan) McAlpine of Omaha, Nebraska, Michael (his wife Jean) McAlpine of Sioux Center, Iowa, James (his wife Lynette) McAlpine of Sheldon, Iowa, Daniel (his wife Cheryl )McAlpine of Omaha, Nebraska and Robert (his wife Erica) McAlpine of Hull, Iowa. Irene is also survived by 30 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren, her two sisters Pearl Koopman and June Wood of California, three sisters-in-law, five brothers-in-law and numerous nieces and nephews.
Irene is preceded in death by her husband (Midge), her parents, four sisters and two brothers.
