Irene Sandahl

Irene Hoke Sandahl passed away on June 2, 2011. She was born August 8, 1921 in St. Louis, Missouri. Through her youth, Irene lived in St. Louis and Palm Beach, Florida. She began winning trophies for swimming, which was her passion, at the age of 8. Irene attended Florida State University where she was a self-proclaimed “Slap Happy Lassie from Tallahassee.” She joined the Army and was a Lieutenant in the Army Physical Therapy Corp. She worked in hospitals around the country and was eventually sent to Kabar-Kaisar Institute for Neuromuscular Rehabilitation in Washington, D.C. Her first patient was a young man from Texas who had polio. Irene and this man, Charles, began to date and were married in Austin, TX on June 18, 1947. Charles attended classes at the University of Texas and Irene took him to and from each class. She later enrolled at the University and received an Art Degree. She also swam for the University of Texas Women’s Swim Club.

Irene became a member of the Austin Lawyers Wives, worked with the March of Dimes, and travelled with Charles to many Pepsi-Cola national events. She also volunteered as a physical therapist at the Austin State Hospital. Scott, Mark, and Lisa were born to Charles and Irene and Irene was active in the children’s school and sporting events. Charles passed away in 1989 and Irene renewed her interest in swimming and tennis. She competed in tennis leagues and accumulated many medals in Masters swimming through the age of 73. Along the way she became a grandmother of nine and great grandmother of three.

Irene is survived by son, Scott and wife, Luann, grandson Christopher and wife, Rachael, and great-granddaughter, Caylee, grandson Cody and wife, Becca; son Mark and grandson, Chad, and granddaughters Brooke, Brittany, and Paige; daughter, Lisa and husband Hal Berdoll, granddaughter Kylene and husband, Will Harvey, and great-granddaughter, Kyndall, grandson Brandon and wife Brandi Berdoll, granddaughter Jennifer and husband Jared Wammack, and great-grandson, Logan.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, June 6th at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home. Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 7, 2011 in the Weed-Corley-Fish Chapel. Interment will follow at Capital Parks Cemetery in Pflugerville.

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to “Statesman Swim Safe for Austin Kids Fund” through the website www.austincommunityfoundation.org.