Irene LaDue

Dates

Obituary

Irene LaDue, 97, of Mitchell, SD, died on Friday, April 11, 2025, at Edgewood Assisted Living in Mitchell. Funeral services will be at 10:30 AM Thursday, April 17, at Zion Lutheran Church in Mitchell. Burial will be in Green Hill Cemetery in Alexandria, SD. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5-7:00 PM at Bittner Funeral Chapel with a 6:00 PM prayer service.

Irene Kathrine LaDue was born at home in Tripp County, SD, on January 8th, 1928. She was the second daughter of Beke and Edna (Frasch) Wolthoff.

Irene graduated from high school in Colome, SD, in 1945 and entered the Cadet Nurses Corps at 17 years old. She had told her children that being a nurse was the only thing she ever wanted to do since she was a small child. Her graduating class from the Cadet Corps stayed in touch all their lives through a round-robin letter and an annual banquet that Irene rarely missed.

She met Wayne LaDue at a diner in Mitchell that was run by Wayne’s sister and husband. Wayne saw her and asked, “Who is that cute little, short one over there?”, and decided that was the woman he was going to marry. On April 8, 1949, Irene married Wayne in Mitchell, SD. They moved to the LaDue farm south of Alexandria, SD and lived there together until Wayne died in 2013. They were married for 64 years and raised their four children on the farm.

Irene saw many changes in the world during her life. She lived through the Great Depression, the Dirty Thirties, and saw horses and buggies replaced with cars. She learned how to use an iPad in her eighties and used it to stay in touch with many friends and relatives. 

Irene enjoyed her work as a nurse, loved sewing, crocheting, reading, gardening, and later in life, learned to paint. She completed many oil paintings and made cards she readily gave to others to send.

Irene was a member of St. Martin’s Lutheran Church in Alexandria, and more recently Zion Lutheran Church in Mitchell. Irene taught Sunday School at St. Martin’s Lutheran Church. Irene was a member of the Ladies Aid and Extension Club. She also trained to be a storm watcher.

Irene is survived by her children,  Jolene (Ron) Rose of Alexandria, SD, Dennis (Laura) LaDue of Lincoln, NE, Peggy LaDue (Dale Zimmerman) of Richmond, MN, and Lee (Mike Sharp) LaDue of Clearwater, MN; sister, Gladys Bassett of Mitchell, SD; four grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, L. Wayne LaDue; brothers, Virgil, George, and Robert Wolthoff; and sisters, LaVonne Randall and Viola Person.

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