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Submitted: 3/24/18 • Approved: 3/24/18 • Last Updated: 3/27/18 • R323695-G323693-S3
Irma Prien,mother, grandmother, great grandmother, great-great grandmother, aunt and friend passed away at Oakland Heights Nursing Home in Oakland, NE after a short battle with cancer on January 31, 2018, at the age of 98 years.
Irma Arlene Hansen was born on a farm in the Hill Creek area of Herman, NE on March 3, 1919, to George William and Bertha Christina Elfreda (Fransen) Hansen. As the oldest child, she helped her parents welcome siblings Georgia, Lee and Ben. Irma attended school at Belle Center and Herman. It was during this time that Irma developed a lifelong love for growing things and being outside.
She was living with her Grandma, Mrs. Chris Hansen, a widow, and working in Herman when Irma met one of her Grandma’s boarders, Virgil Prien, her future husband. They were married July 23, 1939, at the Lutheran Parsonage in Tekamah, NE. Irma and Virgil started their married life in Herman, later moving to a farm in the Divide Center area. In 1944, they bought a farm southwest of Lyons, NE, where they lived until moving to Lyons in 1959. To this union five children were born: Wayne, Robert, Arnie, Neta and Jane.
Irma’s working years included many occupations: housekeeper, babysitter, egg produce plant, managing the Lyons pool bathhouse, checker at McMonies Grocery Store, bookkeeper for Lyons Implement as well as farm wife and extra hand. In her ‘spare time”, Irma enjoyed camping, dancing, handwork, quilting, reading, gardening and time with her family. All family members have been grateful recipients of her beautiful handmade quilts. Irma was a charter member of the Logan Valley Quilt Guild and a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Lyons.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Virgil; two infant children; son, Bob Prien; son-in-law, Wally Arndt; a sister and two brothers.
Survivors include two children: Arnie (Linda) Prien of Petaluma, CA and Neta (Fred) Decker of Twin Falls, ID; ten grandchildren: Angie (Joe) Ortmeier of Osmond, NE, Dan (Cindy) Prien of Moore, OK, Joe (Mickey) Prien of Lyons, Nita (John) Dunham of Rapid City, SD, Michael Prien of San Francisco, CA, Cory Prien and Elliott Prien both of Petaluma, CA, Vickie Prien of McCloud, CA, Rhonda (Ron) Larson of Idaho Falls, ID and Brenda (Amanda) Bentley of Boise, ID; 15 great grandchildren; 15 great-great grandchildren along with numerous nieces and nephews.
Contributed on 3/24/18 by blplek
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Record #: 323695