The Memorial Service for Irene Young, age 95 of Lemmon will be 10:30am MT Saturday, November 11, 2017 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Lemmon with Pastor Carin Bear, Pastor Tottie Lenerville, and Pastor Charlotte Kvale, officiating. Cremation has taken place and her cremains will be buried in Greenhill Cemetery at Lemmon.

A gathering of family and friends will be held at 7:00pm on Friday evening at Calvary Lutheran Church.

Irene Hazel Kvale was born May 14, 1922 to John and Hazel (Albright) Kvale on their farm in Rolling Green Township, Corson County SD. She joined two brothers, Harold (1917) and Norman (1918). Thelma, born in 1927, made their family complete. Irene was a farm girl at heart. She grew up playing with the farm animals and milking cows. She also helped with the garden and tending chickens. During the Dirty Thirties she herded cattle on horseback to find grazing and keep them out of the grasshopper poison. She said, "The hot wind never stopped blowing". She attended Paris School through eighth grade, riding horseback there with her brothers and sister. Going to school was okay, but when they headed for home it was a wild ride and she hung on for "dear life". Irene graduated from Lemmon High School in 1940. During high school she lived in town and did light housekeeping for room and board. She worked at the school library, participated in Girls Athletic Association, Pepperettes and Thespians. After graduation, Irene attended Business College in Bismarck. When the school term ended in 1941, she went to work at the Bank of Lemmon. While working at the bank she met Rollin Young. She always said she didn't marry him for his money, because he came in to get a loan, not make a deposit! In 1943 the bank opened a branch in Bison and Irene was sent there for 3 months to help train new employees.

Irene and Rollin were married on April 15, 1945 at the American Lutheran Church in Lemmon. They made their home on Rollin's farm north of Lemmon, raising cattle (Irene milked the cows), hogs and small grains. She helped take care of Rollin's dad, Frank, who died of leukemia in 1946. Frank told people that "Rollin did a good job picking a wife". On March 13, 1949, Irene and Rollin welcomed their only child, Carolyn Ruth. She married Jerry Petik and they have two children, Jeri Lynn and Kurt. Irene and Rollin were wonderful grandparents and took great joy in attending their grandchildren's school, church and 4-H activities.

Irene had a garden, raised chickens and grew beautiful flowers indoors and out. She belonged to the Spring Butte Homemakers Club; Spring Butte Women's Society and was Clerk for Spring Butte Township. She was a 4-H leader and always helped out with school activities. She was a beautiful seamstress, making most of her and Carolyn's clothes and sewing for her grandchildren. She was an excellent cook, baking bread, cinnamon rolls, pastries and angel food cakes. Everyone especially liked her apple pie. In 1983 Rollin and Irene rented their farm to Lonnie Thom. Rollin's health failed and in 1991 and they moved to Lemmon. Irene cared for Rollin at home until he entered Five Counties Nursing Home in 1994. He passed away in August of 1995. Irene continued to be active and pursue her many interests. She welcomed five great grandchildren over the years and enjoyed attending their activities whenever possible. She was active in Calvary Lutheran Church, serving as circle chairman and attending Bible Study. She continued to help serve church dinners until she was over 90 years old. She enjoyed bowling and playing bridge. She joined the Hospital Auxiliary and volunteered at the Thrift Shop and the Nursing Home. She was always ready to lend a helping hand and often came with a gift of food when there was a health issue or death among family and friends. In 2007, Irene moved to Sunrise Apartments in Lemmon where she lived until August, 2016. She truly enjoyed her home and the neighbors in the complex. She moved to Five Counties Nursing Home in August of 2016 where she passed away on November 4, 2017.

Surviving family members include her daughter and son-in-law, Carolyn and Jerry Petik, Meadow, SD; sister, Thelma Lemke, Lemmon, SD; sister-in-law, Belle Kvale, Lemmon, SD; granddaughter, Jeri Lynn (DeJon) Bakken, Lemmon, SD; grandson, Kurt (Leah) Petik, Fond du Lac, WI; great grandchildren, Leif and Mirandi Bakken; Grant, Kiya, and Irelyn Petik; 8 nieces and nephews; Randy (Rosario) Riedl, Seattle, WA; Rich (Jonetta) Kvale, Tuscon, AZ; Dale (Mary) Kvale, Lemmon, SD; Tim and Charlotte Kvale, Lemmon, SD; Bev and Tim Holdahl, Dickinson, ND; Don (Richard) Lemke, New York, NY; Russ Lemke, Kearny, NE; Jean (Owen) Haas, Lemmon, SD. She was preceded in death by her husband, Rollin; 2 brothers, Harold and Norman Kvale; brother-in-law, Bill Lemke; great nephew, Jason Haas; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Nick and Reva Riedl.

Visitation will be on Friday from 1:00 to 5:00pm at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon.In lieu of flowers a memorial has been established.