Irene Marie (Ziegler) Huelsman

Irene Marie Huelsman

Lived Life September 4, 1932 to March 2, 2020

Services held: Lakeview Mortuary, Saturday March 7, 2020 at 11:00 a.m.

Dignity Memorial Celebrant: Cheryl Hoskins

As they enter the room with spirits entwined, they are a family, uniquely combined. There’s a certain kind of closeness that only families know, it begins with childhood trust and increases as you grow. It’s a very special feeling to know your family’s there, it’s a tie you can rely on, a bond you’ll always share. They live and they love, always showing they care, through good times and bad, together they share. Of all the blessing we may have, our family means the most, and whether we live near or far, that bond will keep us close. Connected by feelings of love they all know, filled with trust and respect, through the years they grow. The warmth they share seems to fill them with pride, they are a family, they stand side by side. It doesn’t just happen spontaneously, This family so close, emotionally. They are a family and always shall be, like links on a chain, like leaves on a tree. As a member of this family we know that we belong, we’re proud to say we’re family, together we are strong.

Welcome everyone, my name is Cheryl Hoskins and I am a Dignity Life Celebrant given the honor of sharing Irene Huelsman’s life celebration today. The family is grateful that you have chosen to share your time with them as we give tribute to this wonderful woman. I chose the opening poem about family because that is what Irene was all about; her family! And what a family they are; a treasure. As I spent time with them listening to their stories about, Irene I could feel the depth of this family unit, and I knew it was a special one, Irene sowed seeds of love and the family grew and was nurtured by such a strong person. Let’s begin her story:

Irene is born on September 4th 1932 in Collyer, Kansas to Leonard and Theresa Ziegler. She is their first-born child. In years to come she will have two brothers Leroy and Don. They live on a farm and since Irene is the oldest most of the chores fall on her. She milks the cows and feeds the other animals as well as cleaning the home. She will attend school in Oakley, Kansas and graduate from Oakley High school. She loves singing and dancing. She will sing in the school choir and she loves to sing acapella around the farm as she works on her chores. This is one of her favorite songs to sing. Let’s listen to it now

Song: Ave Maria by Sarah Brightman

On her 16th birthday her parents ask her what she would like to do and she tells them I’d like to go to the roller rink and go skating. So, her parents celebrate her birthday there. She hasn’t skated very much before so she is falling down a lot. This makes a young man take interest in her and try to help her. As he tries to teach her to skate, he falls in love. Yes, Aloysius, or as Irene likes to call him Wishy, told me “she kept falling down - but I fell in love that night.” Irene’s story is a little different however, her take on it was;” I was never a good skater but I kept falling so he would help me up”. When Irene was leaving, Wishy rushes out to ask her for a date and leaves his skates in the rink. When he returns, he has a date with Irene, but no skates. Wishy would complain later about losing his skates but both of them would agree it was worth it in the end.

They will date for two more years. Wishy will go into the Army and serve his country and Irene will graduate from high school and work a short time at her uncle’s insurance company. Wishy’s dad will buy them a farm and these two love birds will get married. It is a big wedding and they dance the night away Barn dancing. Irene likes to polka. One of Irene’s favorite saying or as her family likes to call them her Ireneism’s is “Well I could Polka before I could walk and I could cuss before I could talk”. There will be many of these Ireneism’s throughout her story.

Soon they start a family. First Lenny is born then Kim followed by Terry and last but not least Keith who was told that they got his name from a one-armed bartender. Live is busy on the farm and love is abundant. They are an ornery bunch but love leads the way. Irene and Wishy build a strong foundation. There is such an admiration for one another that it is contagious. They are growing seeds of love as well as wheat and Milo and they buy some farm animals. The family starts a garden together all kinds of delicious vegetables and lovely flowers. They have to watch Lenny though he loves to follow along behind Irene during planting season and pull out the tomato plants as she puts them in the ground.

Irene loves to cook and boy can she cook. Fried chicken, wonderful canned vegetables from the garden even sauerkraut and lots of baked goods like cookies, cakes and pies. Her lemon and chocolate meringue pies are some of her family’s favorite. At Christmas time everyone goes home with a sheet pan full of the most wonderful tasting homemade Cinnamon rolls. She loves the holidays because it brings all the family back together for some really good times and she gets to cook. Everyone loves her onion dressing she makes the night before Thanksgiving.

Harriet van Horne said “Cooking is like love it should be entered into with abandon or not at all” and Alan Wolfelt declares Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate. This is what Irene does. She has found the happiness recipe for life: And It Is:

Happiness Recipe

2 heaping cups of patience

1 heart full of love

2 hands full of generosity

A dash of laughter

1 head full of understanding

Sprinkle generously with kindness add more laughter and mix well. Spread over a period of a lifetime and serve everyone you meet.

Now don’t get me wrong. Irene can be sweet and nice but she also can be very straight forth when she needs to be. She will tell it like it is or have a quick remark when needed. She is a strong-willed woman and proud of it. One online site said A strong-willed woman is a person who speaks her mind and defends her values. Even if she is seen as bossy, sassy, demanding or stubborn she doesn’t really care. She’s the kind of woman who wants the best for herself and her loved ones, and for the better of society. She doesn’t always behave and never fits into stereotypical roles nor does she want to. Sometimes she is hard to handle and you might not know how to approach her. Just know that she is worth your time because she is the woman you want on your side. (theodysseyonline.com) One example of this strong-willed woman side of Irene is the time her daughter Kim brought a new boyfriend home to meet the family. Irene is quizzing him and spending time getting to know him when suddenly she just blurts out, you’re a real asshole aren’t you. Well there went that love story. As she grows older, she gets really good at picking out assholes and she begins to call them C. A’s certified assholes. She could make your jaw drop. Like this favorite saying of hers “there are more horses asses then there are horses in the world! And It’s better to be pissed off then pissed on! Yes, Irene has an ornery side but she also has the most wonderful loving side and the two compliment each other. Irene keeps you entertained until it is time for her to leave and as she liked to say as she left the room: Pwstshew (Gunshot sound) See ya til the next shot!!”

Irene decides she wants to be a beautician and she goes to Cosmetology school in Salina. Wishy remodels a little building they have on the farm and soon family and friends are coming to get their hair cut or styled. Irene practices on Kim so much that Kim hides under the table from mom so she won’t find her when she wants to practice her newest hairstyle idea.

Life is going good for the family but they are getting tired of farm life so dad decides to go to Wichita Kansas to see if he can find some odds jobs and make a life for them in this city. He does and he finds work at Wichita Precision and the family moves to Wichita. Irene starts working at different restaurants and spends many years as the hostess at the Hickory House. Their apartment is pretty cramped for such a large family and they move to a home and then purchase a home on Gilbert street in 1973. Dad works days and Mom works nights as this family transitions to city life.

They grow a garden in the backyard so Irene can still continue to cook all of her delicious meals. They buy some land in Leon, Kansas and grow a large garden there. Instead of farm animals they have the Charlie Brown Gang, two dogs and a cat they are named Snoopy, Peanuts and Lucy oh and a duck named Chirp Chirp?? They are quite the scene walking around the block with the Charlie Brown Gang and a duck. One weekend they decide to take the duck to the land in Leon to enjoy the pond there. Chirp Chirp loves it so they decide to leave him there. As they pull into their driveway on Gilbert street late Sunday evening to prepare to go back to work on Monday, they are shocked to see Chirp Chirp standing in their front yard. I guess he decided to fly home and meet them!

They take up camping and buy a boat and a camper and hit all the surrounding lakes as well as their land in Leon. This poem by Jim Casey says it all.

Camping

We camp always to be with our friends. Can't wait to get there, hate it when it ends, we always know where our campsite will be, we park our camper by the best scenery. When tired of driving, we go to our lot, with some conniving, we have the best spot. A site by the water with much to do, and watch all the campers in boat or canoe, tanning, swimming and drinking is the best. Camping after working, we needed the rest! By a campfire dining, stories to tell, a lease I'm signing, no better hotel! Haven't been camping? You're missing the fun, outdoors, no pampering, rain, wind or sun. Fresh air, wildlife, walking a well-traveled path, ending the excursion with a well needed bath.

The family just enjoys each other and their friends as they spend time eating and relaxing while enjoying the beautiful weather. Irene of course is cooking. One of her Ireneism’s is “I’ve cooked for more people on accident then others have done on purpose.”

The kids all graduate from Southeast High school and move out and get married but they never stop coming over to enjoy time with their precious mother and father. Their neighbors enjoy their company too. This beautiful family lives so long that they see their neighborhood grow and change. They have known many friends from the neighborhood; there was Eldon, Vic, Jim, Mac, Connie, Rita, Debbie, John, Pearl, Shirley and George and recently Kayla and Cleo. It was not unusual for Wishy and Irene to go sit outside in their front yard and soon 10-20 people would be in their front yard socializing with them.

Irene is so thrilled when her children start having her grandchildren. Eric is the first on the scene and Irene spoils him she even gives him coffee and he likes it and at 4 years old he requests it with his cake at a party.

She is a hands-on grandma I think this poem by Teri Harrison says it all.

Grandma’s joy

I stroked your little hand perfect sweetness when we touched I whispered that I love you, loved you very much I held you close to me memorized your darling face I’d waited for so long, my heart now touched by grace As Grandma and grandchild and amazing journey has begun You’re my heart, you’re my joy my precious little one Full of smiles, full of rush, endless questions, little hush Lots of laughter, lots of games, naughty noises, silly names Call for teddy, calls for treats, Disney films and sticky sweets Out in the garden, out to the park, sliding, climbing, swinging arc Choosing stories, sharing books, cozy snuggles, sleepy looks Tired out, tucked in the sac, it’s lovely to have them, let them spend the night – and give them back.

She is this way with all her grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.

Someone once said: Grandparents bestow upon their grandchildren the strength and wisdom that time and experience have given them. Grandchildren, bless their grandparents with a youthful vitality and innocence that help them stay young at heart forever. Together they create a chain of love linking the past with the future. The chain may lengthen but it will never part. This is true of Irene and her bond with her grandchildren. She is continuing her legacy of sewing strong seeds of love in her family.

Holidays are even bigger now and the land in Leon is the setting for many big parties, Hog Roasts, lots of fireworks and food on the Fourth of July. Kids are full of pop and candy too. Bridget said being dropped off at grandma and grandpas was fun we got to play with all our cousins. In Leon they have a big swing set and the grandkids swing from it for hours and grandma Irene walks them around the land and tells them all about her plants. They have horses too. There is Pepper, Tator, Bandit, Pretty girl and Dusty and they have cows also. Irene loves playing checkers and a mean game of Poker at Thanksgiving. She snacks on Hershey Kisses, and butterscotch and peppermint candies. When one of the grandkids skins his knee, grandma puts some alcohol on it and shares one of her Ireneism’s. “Alcohol is good for the outside and good for the inside too.” Yes, Irene enjoys a good gin and tonic or Vodka or Bourbon and 7 every once in a while. She also believes “what goes around comes around” and if you take her to the store, she is surely going to ask someone “You got them butter in the 4 squares?”

These last few years are hard on Irene. She is usually very healthy but she suffers a few strokes and ends up in the hospital. She hates hospitals and doctor’s offices. Kim has to keep her from sneaking off instead of waiting to see the doctor. While she is in the hospital, she gets ornery and starts asking everyone if they want to dance. She loves dancing it represents freedom and joy. It made me think of the song by Lee Ann Womack titled I Hope You Dance and it fits Irene to a tee. Here are some of the lyrics.

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder. You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger

May you never take one single breath for granted. God Forbid love ever leave you empty handed. I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean. Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens. Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance and when you get the choice to sit it out or dance. I hope you Dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance. Never settle for the path of least resistance

Living might mean taking chances, but they're worth taking. Loving might be a mistake but it's worth making. Don't let some Hell-bent heart leave you bitter. When you come close to selling out, Reconsider! Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance and when you get the choice to sit it out or dance. I hope you Dance. I believe Irene would want all of us here to dance when given the opportunity so that life doesn’t get us down. Let’s listen to this famous song that challenges us to do that same thing.

Song: Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland

This past week Irene starts complaining about her chest hurting. Wishy encourages her to see the doctor but she refuses and she tells him what she has always told him ‘You know I want to go before you go” or as she tells everyone else. Whenever I go, I just hope I go before Wishy. I just couldn’t live without him. Well on March 2nd she gets her wish. She doesn’t get up that morning she has died peacefully in her sleep. This beautiful strong-willed loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend has gone on over the rainbow.

At this time, I would like to open the floor to Speakers but first I will read some of her family’s memories of Irene. Me: Read Kim’s, Kristina’s, & Bridget’s. Would any other family members wish to say something? Audience? Thank you so much for sharing.

As we conclude her service, I would like to share these poems and say a little prayer as we say goodbye. To her children and grandchildren these words of encouragement.

Our Mother/grandmother kept a garden and A garden of the heart; She planted all the good things, that gave our life its start. She turned us to the sunshine, and encouraged us to dream. Fostering and nurturing the seeds of self-esteem. And when the winds and rains came, she protected us enough. But not too much for she knew we’d need to stand up strong and tough. Her constant good example, always taught us right from wrong. Markers for our pathway to last our whole life long. We are our Mother’s/grandmother’s garden We are her legacy. Although she is no longer with us, her children we will always be!

To her husband of 67 years. Let’s all clap for that.

When God was making husbands as far as I can see. He made a special soulmate especially for me. He made a perfect gentleman, compassionate and kind, with more love and affection than you could ever wish to find. He gave my darling husband a heart of solid gold, He gave me wonderful memories only my heart can hold, He was someone I could talk to that no one can replace, He was someone I could laugh with til tears ran down my face, Next time we meet will be at heaven’s door, When I see you standing there we won’t cry anymore, I will put my arms around you and kiss your smiling face, Then the pieces of our broken hearts will fall back into place. In Loving Memory of a Very Special Husband by Unknown

Let us Pray:

God of grace and glory, we commit the soul of, Irene Marie Huelsman, into your loving arms and perfect peace forever. We thank you for the gifts and love she gave when she was with us, now give us strength and courage to leave her in your care, confident in your promise of eternal life. In Jesus Name, Amen

Now let’s listen to this famous hymn.

Song: The Old Rugged Cross by Alan Jackson

As I end her story today, I believe this poem tells us what Irene would like to say to those she loves.

To Those I Love

When I am gone, release me, let me go. You mustn’t tie yourself to me with tears.

Just be happy that we had so many years. I gave you my love, you can only guess,

How much you gave to me in happiness. I thank you for the love you each have shown,

But now it’s time I traveled alone. So, grieve a while for me, if grieve you must,

Then let your grief be comforted by trust. It’s only for a while that we must part,

So, bless the memories within your heart. I won’t be far away, for life goes on,

So, if you need me, call, and I will come. Though you can’t see or touch me, I’ll be near.

And if you listen with your heart, you’ll hear All of my love around you, soft and clear.

And then, when you must come this way alone, I’ll greet you with a smile, and say

“Welcome Home.”

This concludes her life celebration. I have some takeaways for you when you leave today. I have some garden and flower seed packets take one and plant them in your garden and remember her seeds of love. I also have her favorite snack candies, Hershey’s kisses, butterscotch and peppermints take and enjoy. Thank you for the honor of sharing her story today. Please wait for the funeral director to dismiss you and give you further instructions. Thank you. And as she always said before she left the room: Pwstshew (Gunshot sound) See ya til the next shot!!

* * * * * * * * * *

Irene Marie (Ziegler) Huelsman, age 87 passed away on Monday March 2, 2020. Irene was born September 4, 1932 in Collyer, Kansas to Theresa "Kruse" Ziegler and Leonard Ziegler.

Irene is survived by her husband, Aloysius Huelsman; sons Lennie Huelsman (Annette), Terry Huelsman (Ginette), and Keith Huelsman (Brenda); daughter Kim LaMar (Richard); brother Leroy Ziegler (Joan); grandchildren Freddie Araiza (Tami), Cody Huelsman (Nichole), Eric LaMar (Brittany), Kristina LaMar (Bryan), Melissa Carduff (Brian), Sarah Bumsted (Todd), Taylor Huelsman, Morgan Huelsman, Brice Huelsman (Callon), Bridget Huelsman (Seth Pollos); 16 great grandchildren; and 1 great great grandchild.

Irene was preceded in death by; father Leonard Ziegler and mother Theresa "Kruse" Ziegler; brother Don Ziegler.

A memorial service for Irene will be held Saturday, March 7, 2020 at 11:00 AM at Lakeview Funeral Home Chapel, 12100 E 13TH ST N, Wichita, KS.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Irene's memory may be made to Wichita Animal Action League, PO Box 21401, Wichita, Kansas 67208 US, https://waalrescue.org/donate/; and Hope In The Valley Equine Rescue & Sanctuary, P.O. Box 14, Valley Center, Kansas 67147 US, http://hitveras.org/donate.php.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MyLakeviewFuneralHome.com for the Huelsman family.