Irene Janzen
Obituary
Irene V. Janzen, 89, passed away on
June 23 at Via Christi Hospital in Wichita, following heart failure.
Irene was born on September 24, 1928,
in rural Goessel to Herman and Elizabeth (Enz) Voth. She grew up on
the Voth farm southwest of Goessel.
She married Milferd Janzen on May 23,
1948 at the Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church in rural Goessel. After
their marriage they moved to a 40-acre farm east of Goessel to start
their family. In 1958 they built a new home in Newton where they
lived and raised their family. Milferd passed away on April 3, 2003,
after 54 years of marriage. In 2005 she moved to Kidron Bethel
Village.
Irene loved her family, gardening,
baking, sewing, needlework, embroidery, working jigsaw puzzles and
keeping a neat and tidy home.
She took great pride in her volunteer
work at Botanica Gardens of Wichita. She volunteered there for 15
years planting flower bulbs and weeding flower beds. She was an
expert and dedicated ""Weeder"" who never crossed
paths with a weed she did not pull at her home or at Botanica. Irene
was an active member of the Faith Mennonite Church of Newton for over
sixty years. She was dedicated and active on the Music Committee. She
sang in the choir, small vocal groups and as a soloist. As a Mission
Circle member, Irene served as the secretary/treasurer and
volunteered at many congregational activities.
Lawn mowing was a valued role in
maintaining her home and also turned into a business for more than
twenty years until she retired at age 65.
She loved travel. The family took
extensive family vacations, and she and Milferd took numerous bus
trips across Canada and the USA when they were empty nesters.
She is survived by her children: Ladene
and Don Herrick, Bonnie and Ron Hanser, Ken and Melodie Janzen;
brother: Marvin Voth; sister: Martha Voth; eight grandchildren and 12
great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her
husband: Milferd Janzen; parents: Herman and Elizabeth Voth; four
sisters; two brothers and a grandson: Jeffrey Herrick.
A Celebration of Life service was June
27 in Menno Hall at the Kidron Bethel Village in North Newton,
Kansas. A private committal service is scheduled prior to the
service.
A memorial has been established with
Botanica Gardens, 701 Amidon St., Wichita, Kansas 67203.
Petersenfamilyfuneralhome.com.
