Irene Lillian (Harpel) Vander Syde, 96, passed away Sept. 17, 2014. She was born March 2, 1918, in Sherburn, Minn., to the late Lawrence and Lillie Harpel.
Irene was married 52 years to J. Wayne Vander Syde, having wed Jan. 25, 1939. She was a bookkeeper for their business (Wayne’s Sales and Service) in Meeker, Colo., for 12 years, dealing in farm equipment and car dealerships.
In 1958, they bought a ranch near Harrison, Idaho. They moved to Apache Wells in Mesa, Ariz., to retire in the early 1970s. They lived in Minnesota, Washington, Colorado, Idaho and Arizona.
Irene’s interests were music, gardening, birds, reading, poetry, health club, piano, art, Trinity Broadcasting, flying in their airplanes, riding motorcycles and horses, and traveling with their Travco motor home all over North America.
Irene was a very generous person and had a lot of spirit and tenacity. She was preceded in death by her husband, J. Wayne, on May 28, 1991; a son, Victor (at birth); a daughter, Sandy Irish of Hanford, Calif.; a son, Kelly Wayne; four brothers: George, Orville, Lavern, and Curtis Harpel; and three sisters: Rosella Wynia, Minnerva O’Neil and Hazelle Colburn.
She is survived by: and was a devoted mother to Lani (Robert) Clark of Mesa, Ariz.; grandchildren Rodney J. Brown, Shannan Como and Steve Seager; great-grandchildren Josh and Ryan Brown and Erin (Garrick) Wynn; great-great-granddaughter Mila; Mia Bentzein, and Kylee Seager.
She is also survived by step-granddaughter Jana (Brian) Hower; great-grandsons Chris and Nick Hower; a sister, Joy Lossing of Minneapolis, Minn.; and many nieces and nephews, including Lily (Jerry) Neitzell and Linda Colburn (who attended her 90th birthday party).
Online condolences may be sent to www.mvfuneralhome.com.
Thank yous go to Evercare Hospice and sincere appreciation to the staff at Mission Palms Health Care of Mesa for the 11 years Irene spent there.
Arrangements are by Mountain View Funeral Home, 480-832-2850.
