Irene Barfknecht

Irene Rose Barfknecht, the oldest of four daughters born to Henry and Dora (Siemers) Hashage, was born on May 15, 1930, on a farm west of Nelson, Nebraska. She died June 1, 2023, at the Brodstone Healthcare hospital in Superior, Nebraska, at the age of 93 years and 17 days.Irene attended Rising Valley and Mt. Hope rural schools and graduated from Nelson High School in 1947.

She was employed by Lincoln Telephone Company from 1948 to 1954 and by The Superior Express for nearly 52 years, from August of 1966, until May of 2018.

She married Kenneth Lee Barfknecht on March 8, 1953, at Salem Lutheran Church where she was a lifetime member. They lived on a farm west of Superior. Her husband was employed by Ideal Cement Company. They moved to Superior in 1962. Two sons were born to this union.

She was a member of the Women of the ELCA and the American Legion Auxiliary.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1966; her parents, Henry and Dora; in-laws, William and Bernice Barfknecht; brothers-in-law, Robert Johnson, Ardell Sieck and Everett Barfknecht; and sister-in-law, Lorene Meyer.

She is survived by her sons, Craig of Harvard and Lee and his wife, Sara Martens, of LaVista; and a granddaughter, Alaina Martens, and her husband, Matt Catagnus, of Quincy, Massachusetts; three sisters, Ruby "Tam" of Oceanside, California; Frances "Fran" Sieck of Ashland and Dorothy Svendsen and husband, Ed, of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Mesa, Arizona; sister-in-law Norma (Barfknecht) Iburg and husband, Don, of Austin, Texas; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Her funeral was held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 3, 2023, at the Salem Lutheran Church, rural Superior, with Pastor Ethan Feistner officiating. Congregational hymns was "How Great Thou Art," and "What A Friend We Have In Jesus." Visitation was held on Saturday from noon until service time at the church.

Pallbearers were Craig Barfknecht and Lee Barfknecht. Interment was in the Evergreen Cemetery at Superior, Nebraska. Memorials are suggested to go to Salem Lutheran Church. Condolences may be sent to Megrue-Price Funeral Home, 750 N. Commercial, Superior, Nebraska 68978 or in care of http://www.pricefuneralhomes.com. Megrue-Price Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.