Anna Mae Ireland

Anna Mae (Marek) Ireland, 84, of Scottsbluff, passed away June 7, 2010, in Loveland Colorado. Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 12, 2010, at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Scottsbluff with Father Vince Parsons officiating. Inurnment will follow in the Fairview Cemetery. A rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m., Friday, June 11, 2010, at Dugan Kramer Funeral Chapel in Scottsbluff. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Lung Association (lungusa.org) or St. Joseph’s Indian School (stjo.org). Ann was born August 23, 1925 to A. William and Mary (Becker) Marek in Osmond, Nebraska. She grew up 6th in a close-knit family of 8 children. The Marek family owned and operated the Osmond drug store and mortuary. She graduated from high school in Scottsbluff and on October 3rd, 1947 married Loren C. Ireland at St. Agnes Catholic Church. They had met while both working in a local drug store. They moved to Boulder, Colorado where Loren attended CU, receiving his degrees in chemistry and math. In 1951 they moved to Osmond where Loren taught for 6 years in the local high school. Ann and Loren returned to Scottsbluff in 1957 where Loren taught high school physics for 30 years. Ann was a homemaker, active in St. Agnes Alter Society and volunteered at St. Agnes School. Loren passed away in November of 1990. Survivors include her daughters, Lorie (Mark) Smith and Lisa (Randy) Bernhardt; grandchildren Lindsey Smith, Logan Smith, Henry (Sarah) Mowry, and Rachael and Hunter Bernhardt; and brother, Donald Marek. Ann was preceded in death by sisters Veronica, Delores “Dode”, Rose, and Lavine and by brothers Augustus “Bud” and Vernon “Truck”.