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Mass of Christian Burial for Irene Bender age 80 of Mobridge will be at 10 AM, Monday, July 2, 2018 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Mobridge. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. Visitation will be from 5 PM with a prayer service at 7 PM Sunday at the funeral home. Mrs. Bender passed away Monday, June 25, 2018 at Mobridge Regional Hospital.

Irene L. Bender was born on December 11, 1937, in Ft. Yates, ND, to John and Dorothy Stiles. She attended school in Ft. Yates and graduated from high school in Aurora, MN. Following high school, she attended Presentation Heights College in Aberdeen, SD, to study business in 1955. Irene then moved to Mobridge and began working as a teller at the First National Bank and met her future husband of 61 years, Darrell Bender.

Darrell's work with Northwestern Bell often required the family to transfer to different communities around South Dakota; first to Frederick, SD where Irene became a stay at home mom for their 3 children; Kim, Darren and Lisa. Additional transfers included moves to Pierre and Rapid City where she worked with the State Highway Right of Way Department and the Ellsworth Air Force bank. In 1973, the family took a final move back to Mobridge where Irene called home for the remainder of her life. She worked as a receptionist at the First National Bank and then accepted a position as a secretary with the Department of Game Fish and Parks where she enjoyed working until her retirement.

Following her retirement, and prior to becoming ill with Alzheimer's Disease, she enjoyed playing cards and Bridge with her friends, going to Arizona during the winter with Darrell and friends, and attending the National Rodeo Finals in Las Vegas. Irene liked to go out boating and fishing with her husband and friends. Irene enjoyed walking nearly every day with her friends - being healthy was one of her priorities.

Irene's Catholic faith and family were her top priorities.  She wouldn't miss Mass for any reason, and was most recently a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Parish in Mobridge. Irene treasured most the time she spent with her husband, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Spoiling kids is one of the things she did best. Having Darrell by her side as her caregiver as she lived with Alzheimer's Disease was her greatest blessing. Holidays were also very important to Irene. Christmas and Easter were her favorites and she loved decorating her entire home for all holidays. Irene loved her two dogs, Dayton and Peekie, and she would dress them up for special occasions, birthdays, and holidays.

Irene always dressed to look beautiful and classy and she will be remembered that way by many. She will also be remembered for her beautiful smile and joyful laughter. She was an amazing cook, learning German recipes from her paternal grandmother, Eva Stiles, and her Mother-in-Law, Minnie Bender. Irene loved hosting guests and always had the dining room table set with gorgeous dishes and candles. Her grandkids remember always getting to drink out of fancy goblets even at the youngest of ages. She loved flowers, plants, and planting a vegetable and flower garden. She passed this love of gardening down to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Irene is survived by her husband of 61 years, Darrell; sons, Kim Bender and Darren Bender; son-in-law, Richard Zuleski; granddaughters, Jennifer Cornett and Kari (Jordan) Nehls; grandson, Carson Zuleski; great-grandchildren: Jackson and Ella Cornett, and Laila and Brittyn Nehls; sisters, Betta Archambault, Johnelle Opem, Sherri (Byron) Imker, Debbie Stiles. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Irene was preceded in death by her parents, John & Dorothy Stiles, daughter, Lisa Zuleski, and sisters, Etta Plum and Diane Claymore.