Irene Anne Wilcox, 92, passed away Friday, January 21, 2022 at Edgewood Memory Care in Fargo, ND. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 27th at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Garrison, ND. Burial will follow at St. Nicholas Catholic Cemetery.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday from 4 until the rosary at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Garrison, ND. A rosary will be said following the visitation at 7:00 p.m.
Irene was born June 4, 1929 to Peter and Magdalen (Lena) Kerzman on a farm near Emmet, ND. She attended grade school in a one-room schoolhouse in Blackwater Township and graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Bismarck, ND.
She married James Wilcox on November 19, 1947 at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck, ND. They lived on Jim’s family homestead near Garrison until 1988 when they moved into the town of Garrison. Eight children were born to this union.
Irene was an active member of St. Anne’s Alter Society and sang in the church choir. She volunteered many hours at St. Nicholas Catholic School until it closed. She also volunteered in her church; taking care of the altar area, cleaning and decorating for the different seasons. In her later years she volunteered at the Garrison Nursing Home.
Irene kept very busy. She crocheted many afghans, embroidered dishtowels, kept a large garden and canned vegetables. She was especially known for her dill pickles. She loved to go bowling, solve crossword puzzles, play board games and tend to her beautiful flowers and yard. She thoroughly enjoyed attending her grandkids sporting and school events.
From 1991 through 2005, she and Jim traveled by car, driving through all the lower 48 states. One summer they drove up to Alaska and drove around the entire state, even crossing the Arctic Circle.
Irene is survived by her four sons, David (Jan) of Johnsburg, IL, Michael (Pam), Gordon (Dori), and James (Deleene) all of Garrison area. Daughters include Susan Tefft and Patricia (Dale) Roehrich of Fargo, and Mary (Tim) Callis of Dallas, TX. She leaves 15 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 66 years, Jim; 4 brothers (Francis, Paul, James and Ralph Kerzman) and 3 sisters (Margaret Brigman, Grace Burk and Rita Vreeland); an infant daughter, Mary Jane; an infant granddaughter, Susan Kay Wilcox; and an infant great-grandson, Karson Welstad.
Memorials may be made to St. Anne’s Altar Society of St. Nicholas Catholic Church.
To view a livestream of the service go to www.facebook.com/garrisonthompsonfh/
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