TAMA- Irene E. Benda, age 90, a resident of Grandview Acres in Toledo and formerly of Vining and Tama died Sunday, September 2, 2007, at Grandview Acres in Toledo under the care of Iowa Hospice.
Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, September 5, 2007, at 10:30 AM at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama. Interment will follow at National Cemetery in rural Vining. Visitation will be Tuesday, September 4, 2007 from 5-7 PM at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama.
Irene Ellen Benda was born on June 30, 1917, on the home farm in Columbia Township, Tama, Iowa, the daughter of Charles and Clara (Wiesner) Wirstlin.
She attended country school.
On November 2, 1943, she was united in marriage to Fred Benda at St. John Lutheran Parsonage, rural Tama. They farmed in the Vining area for fifty-four years and then moved to Tama. She was previously a co-owner of My Mother's Place in Clutier for ten years. Irene was a member of the Vining Alliance Church in Vining where she was a former treasurer of Phoebe Fellowship. She enjoyed sewing, cooking, flowers, and time spent with her family. Irene had a great zest for life, and enjoyed spending time with family and friends, and attending her Red Hat Society meetings.
Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, Fred on October 10, 2001; one daughter, Linda Benda; one son, Gary Benda; one daughter-in-law, Phyllis Benda; one brother, Earl Wirstlin; and one sister, Edna Musel.
Survivors include, two sons, Dean (Maureen) Benda of Elberon and Wayne (Dee) Benda of Elberon; ten grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; two sisters, Grace (Ralph) Holmes of Belle Plaine and Ruth Ledvina of Cedar Rapids; and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial fund has been established.