Obituaries : Irene Joyce Schwenke Hedegaard<br><br />1937-2010 : Sidney Herald, Sidney, Montana

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Irene Joyce Schwenke Hedegaard

1937-2010

Published on Wednesday, September 8, 2010 7:08 PM MDT

Former Savage resident, Irene Joyce Schwenke Hedegaard, 73, passed away peacefully in her home in Billings Sept. 5, 2010.

Irene was born Jan. 22, 1937, to Henry and Bernice Schwenke at Creston, the second of five children. The family moved to Sidney that same year, where Irene attended Sidney schools, graduating from Sidney High School in 1955. She worked at Community Memorial Hospital in Sidney and later as cook for Savage Schools.

On Feb. 2, 1957, she married Jim Hedegaard in Sidney. They lived in Glendive, Tioga, N.D., and Sidney before settling in Savage.

Irene and Jim had four children: Scott, Gary, Tom and Teresa. Irene served many years as a 4-H leader for the Breezy Flats Lads and Lassies Club. Jim and Irene later moved to Billings in 1991. Irene was a devoted wife and loving mother and grandmother.

Irene was an accomplished seamstress. The clothing and quilts she made are cherished by all who received them. A woman of great faith, she spent many hours contributing this gift by quilting with the church ladies for Lutheran World Relief both at First Lutheran Church in Savage and at American Lutheran Church in Billings, where she and Jim are members.

Upon their move to Billings, she got her dream job at Northwest Fabrics and also worked at Rimrock County Market and Morgan’s Market until her retirement.

Irene is survived by her husband of 53 years, Jim, Billings; her sons Scott (Diana), Glasgow, Gary (Autumn), Green River Wyo., and Tom (Nancy), Sidney, and her daughter Teresa, Billings, along with six grandchildren, Dena, Brock, Aaron, Jared, Celeste and Emory; her sisters Wilma (John) Paladichuk, Escalon Calif., and Marguerite (Robert) Rein, Great Falls; her brother Dwight, Rosenberg Texas; an aunt Ann Baumann, Sidney; and numerous nieces and nephews. Irene was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Robert and her grandson James Patrick Hedegaard.

Funeral services will be held at American Lutheran Church in Billings Friday, Sept. 10, at 11 a.m. Smith Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.

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The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of the Sidney Herald.

margery brehm dozier wrote on Sep 12, 2010 12:54 PM:

" The Schwenke's were neighbors when we were small children. Even after they moved to a larger house, they came back for coffee and to play cards.

I'll remember Irene as someone who always had a smile, and was always in a hurry. "

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