Irene C. Cluff, age 92, of Marion, died Saturday morning, January 3, 2015, at Marion Manor Nursing Home following an extended illness.
On February 5, 1922, Irene was born in Hunfeld, Germany, one of six children of the late Fredolin and Pauline (Gerwert) Rech. As a family, they moved to Marion, when Irene was only three years old.
One fateful night, Irene went on a blind date with Donald E. Cluff, and shortly thereafter they were married on November 2, 1940, in Kentucky. They shared fifty-five loving years of marriage. He preceded her in death on September 5, 1996.
For over 20 years, Irene worked as a bartender at several different places in Marion, and she retired as a manager of Dino’s.
Irene served as a member of the P.T.A., March of Dimes, and the Marion Senior Center.
Good in the kitchen, Irene loved making cookies for the holidays and was famous for her candy apples at Halloween. She also enjoyed bowling in leagues for over thirty years.
With a love for children, her grandchildren were the apples of Irene’s eye.
Having German roots, Irene will be remembered as a strong and independent woman.
She will be missed by her five children: Bill (Diane) Cluff of Prospect, Carol Crabtree of Grove City, Paula (Phil) Reid of Marion, Sharon (John) Nischwitz of Marion, and Don (Phil Swank) Cluff of Mansfield; 11 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Including her husband and parents, Irene was preceded in death by a grandson, Jason Porterfield; four brothers: Ernest, Fred, August, and Rudi Rech; and a sister, Bertah Black.
Her family will greet friends from 5 – 7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 6th, at the Gunder/Hall & Folk Funeral Directors, 347 W. Center St., Marion. Services honoring her life will also be held there at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, with Rev. David Hoffman officiating. Burial will follow in Chapel Heights Memory Gardens.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Alzheimer’s Association or the American Cancer Society and they may be sent to the care of the funeral home.
On behalf of her family, they would like to extend a heartfelt “thank you” to all of the nurses and staff at Marion Manor for their tender loving care of Irene.
Gunder/Hall & Folk Funeral Directors, a division of Snyder Funeral Homes, is honored to have been chosen to serve Irene’s family and your condolences may be expressed to them by visiting www.SnyderFuneralHomes.com.
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