Irene K. Crittenden

Irene Crittenden, 87, passed away peacefully on the morning of February 19, 2015 at Willow Springs Care facility in Yakima, Washington. Irene was born on July 1st, 1927 to Christian and Christina Koch in Torrington, Wyoming.

She was married to Orville Crittenden in 1943 and was blessed with 5 children, Kathleen, Marceal, Roy, Willy, and Robbie. They later divorced and Irene took on the tremendous task of a single mother of five wild and crazy kids. She became affectionately known as “Mother-Father” because of duel rolls as both parents. Willy would call her on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day!

Irene was smart, witty and always had something funny to say. She was musically inclined with the ability to play the guitar and piano. She also wrote poems and sang. One of her favorites songs was “Poor Old Kaw-Liga” and interestingly enough her husband, Orville, was Cherokee Indian. She was an excellent seamstress creating her own patterns and an excellent cook. She was a volunteer with the Yakima County Extension Agency Foods and Nutrition as well as Master Gardener program. As the joke goes, she could cook an old boot and make it taste good. Later in life she was a volunteer with the Foster Grandparents program which she also received an award for.

She is survived by her two daughters Kathleen Jennings (Dan Jennings) of Yakima, Marceal Mayhugh (Mark Michalas) of Yakima, and two sons, Roy Crittenden (Sandi Crittenden) Anchorage, Alaska and Willy Crittenden (Renae Crittenden) of Spokane, her brother Bob Koch (Frieda Koch) Pendleton Oregon and her sister Nancy Bonitto (Joe Bonitto) of San Francisco, California. Grand Children are Richard, Michael, Tanya, Ryan, Lacey, Cory and Rachelle. Great Grand Children are Steven, Chris, Tasha, Hayley, Bryce, Landen, Trinity, and Faith. Great Great Grand Children are Kianna, Peyton, Maddie and Kayden.

She was preceded in death by her mother Christina, father Christian, stepfather Henry Gilliland her youngest son Robbie Crittenden, and brothers Raymond Koch, Elmer Koch, Buck Koch, Bill Koch all from Yakima Valley and her sister Ida Koch of San Francisco.

Viewing will be Monday, February 23, 2015 at Keith and Keith in Yakima from 4:00 TO 8:00 PM and Tuesday February 24th from 11:00 to 12:15.

Graveside service will be held on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at 1:00 pm at Terrace Heights Memorial Park in Yakima, and she will be laid to rest next to her baby boy and youngest son, Robbie (Bob C).

We want to thank the staff at Willow Springs for their help in caring for “Mother-Father” Irene. Mom will always be loved and dearly missed and remembered in our hearts. She is resting in eternal peace and comfort in the arms of her Heavenly Father.

To share a memory of Irene, visit www.keithandkeith.com.

Arrangements under the direction of Keith & Keith Funeral Home, Yakima, WA.