Mary Eileen Irle, 93, of Champaign died at 7:34 a.m. on Sunday, March 27 at home in the presence of her loving family.
The visitation will be on Saturday, April 2 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, Thomasboro. The Holy Rosary will then be recited followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. with the Rev. Fr. Joel Phelps officiating. Interment will immediately follow at St. Elizabeth Cemetery.
Mrs. Irle was born January 23, 1929 in Thomasboro, a daughter of Louis and Mary Bermingham Warner. She married Joseph C. Irle on Feb. 9, 1948 in Thomasboro. He preceded her in death just six months prior to their 70th wedding anniversary. Mrs. Irle graduated from Urbana High School in 1947. She and her husband farmed in the Thomasboro area for over 60 years. One would be hard-pressed to find a partner with a greater zest for farm life. Fall was Eileen’s favorite season on the farm. She loved to help bring in the harvest, driving the grain truck and keeping all laborers well fed during this and all farming seasons.
Eileen was also an accomplished cook, seamstress, and record keeper, and kept the Irle household running smoothly while supporting her family at countless school programs, sporting events, 4-H meetings, and cattle shows. Mrs. Irle ran a successful cake business with her sister, “Annie,” for decades. Eileen enjoyed sharing in the milestones of family and friends creating countless number of cakes for weddings, birthdays, retirements, etc. In later years she developed a passion for quilting and created quilts for each of her children. She was an active member of the Champaign County Home and Community Education group for over 45 years, and lifelong member of St. Elizabeth Church and active member of the Altar & Rosary Society.
Survivors include seven children, Linda (Bill) Weathers of Grand Detour; Mary (Dennis) Cottier of Normal; Joseph L. (Linda) Irle of Thomasboro; Julia (Ron) Ness of Hinckley; John (Patricia) Irle of Mahomet; Monica (Scott) Torrance of Macomb; Angela (Chuck) Raup of Thomasboro; 19 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren; a sister, Kathryn A. (Bill) Shumate of St. Joseph, and sister-in-law, Deanna Alexander of Champaign. She was preceded in death by her parents, a daughter (Melissa), a sister (Helen Squire), three brothers-in-law (Jack Alexander, Jim Irle, and Ralph Squire), and a nephew (William Thomas Shumate).
Memorials may be made to St. Elizabeth Altar & Rosary Society, Friends of Carle Hospice, or Champaign Co. Home & Community Education.
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