Irene L. Houtchens

Born on October 16, 1926 in Greeley, Colorado to Linda and Henry Ulrich, Irene remained a lifelong resident of her hometown. Along with her brother Elmer (deceased 2008), she was the third generation of Ulrichs to live in Greeley — where three more generations of her descendants still live today.

Irene attended Greeley’s Lincoln School for her early education, where she was inspired from a young age to become a teacher and to travel the world. She grew up performing in the May Fete, watching baseball at Island Grove Park, and swimming in Seeleys Lake. She then attended Meeker Junior High and Greeley High School. She worked at her parents’ grocery store, East Side Market, and made deliveries throughout Greeley in her father’s pickup truck, driving alone across the railroad tracks as early as the age 14.

During World War II, she waited tables at Elk Horn Lodge in Estes Park by day and danced her way through the war by night. Irene then attended Colorado Women’s College and Colorado State College of Education (now University of Northern Colorado), after which she spent a year in Big Springs, Nebraska teaching business law, business math, typing, shorthand, and physical education, before returning home to Greeley.

In 1949, Irene married Rodger Houtchens, with whom she shared nearly four wonderful decades of marriage until his passing in 1988. Together, they raised four children: Tom (deceased 2004), Kathryn, Mark, and Jay. Irene’s greatest joy came from her family, and she was a devoted grandmother to 11 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren by blood and by affection, all of whom she loved fiercely.

Known for her strength, independence, work ethic, and extraordinary ability to make friends wherever she went, Irene was an active participant in her local community, supporting her husband’s campaigns and service as local representative for the Colorado State Legislature, and serving for many years in roles including Vice President and Secretary of her party in Weld County.

Her life was rich with adventure and love. She and Rodger led many excursions with their family, including skiing in Steamboat Springs, cross-country road trips to Disneyland in California and camping in Yellowstone National Park. She had a lifelong passion for her family ancestry, becoming a self-taught expert in the Volga Germans, and even braving a solo heritage journey to Russia after the Iron Curtain lifted to see her ancestors’ Volga River Valley villages — a pilgrimage from which not even the threat of Russian military vehicles with soldiers pointing automatic weapons would deter her.

Irene enjoyed traveling to many other far-off places, visiting over 20 countries, including favorites Italy, Greece, Morocco, Costa Rica, Turkey, and Thailand. In China, she and her dear friend and travel buddy Pat Van Hare had a rare last look at the historic villages along the Yangtze River before the valley was flooded by the Three Gorges Dam.

At home, she spent countless hours gardening, playing cards with her “coffee gals,” and doting on her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her legacy is one of love, resilience, and unwavering integrity.

Services to honor Irene’s remarkable life will be held at the Macy Chapel, Allnutt Funeral Home, 6521 West 20th St., Greeley, CO, on Friday, August 23 at 10 am. She will be laid to rest at Linn Grove Cemetery alongside her husband, Rodger. If friends wish, memorial contributions may be made to One Love Ethiopia, c/o Megghan Houtchens St. Aubyn, PO Box 64006, Colorado Springs, CO, 80962 (oneloveethiopia.org).

Irene will be dearly missed by all who knew her, but her memory will live on in the hearts of her family and friends forever.