Irene Staff

Irene Staff, 91, a resident of Warroad, and formerly of Fergus Falls, died Friday, May 6, 2011, at the Douglas County Hospital in Alexandria. At age 91 God called Irene home to help plant His garden. Irene was born on July 2, 1919 in Fargo, ND, to Ernest and Isabelle (Witcik) Simonson. In 1939 she married William Staff. Together they lived in Fergus Falls until William’s death in 1948. The couple had two sons, James and Leslie. In 1950 Irene married Sigvold Nelson and moved to Whittier, CA. In 1963 she married Charles (Stub) Staff. They lived in Carlisle, MN until 1999. Later on, Irene lived at the River Bend in Fergus Falls, MN. For the past couple of years, she made her home in Warroad, MN. Irene enjoyed family, friends, gardening, canning, and especially spending time with her life-long friends Ida Maack, Janice Rudh, and Judy Emery. Fond memories were created with their many trips and Monday morning “coffee”. She is preceded in death by her parents, her husbands William, Sigvold, and Charles (Stub) and her step-father Albert Johnson. Irene is survived by her sons James (Patty) Staff of Isanti, MN, and Leslie (Karen) Staff of Salol, MN; grandchildren Tracy (Jeff) Lehn, Tamara (Jamie) Brateng, Terry (Todd) Kay, Michelle (Michael) Hunter; and great-grandchildren Leslie Hamilton, Joshua Lehn, Ashley Staff, Tiffany Hamilton, Taylor Lehn, Taryn Kay, Tyler Kay, Levi Brateng, Katie Hunter, Rachel Hunter, and Brayden Hunter; brother Edward (Geri) Simonson of Maple Valley, WA; sister Violet Dertinger of Perham, MN ; step-sisters Joyce (Delbert) Lindquist of Cambridge, MN, Barbara (Marvin) Nuorala of Cambridge, MN and a step-brother Richard (Ginny) Johnson of Las Vegas, NV as well as many nieces, nephews and friends. Services: Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 1:00 pm in Trinity Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls Clergy: Reverend Curtis Deterding Visitation: 1 Hour before services at the Church Burial: Norland Cemetery in Salol, MN, on Monday, 5/16, at 10 a.m. Arrangements: Olson Funeral Home of Fergus Falls and Helgeson’s Funeral Home in Warroad, MN