Obituary of Irene June Drieth

Irene was the eldest of 8 children of immigrant Germans from Russia, Henry and Marie (Schnell) Rusch. She was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on June 10, 1927 and lived above her grandparents’ deli until she was 5 years old.  The family moved to Oklahoma in 1933 and at one time lived in a boxcar.  The family settled in Minatare, Nebraska in the early 1940’s to farm and this is where Irene met Harold Drieth.  Their dates usually included going roller skating.  They were married November 24, 1948 in Scottsbluff, NE. 

Irene was truly a helpmate for Harold by working on the farm, especially during beet harvest, raising their four children, keeping the house, cooking, sewing, and hosting family and friends when they would visit.  She took great pride in keeping her house exceptionally clean. 

Irene was an amazing seamstress.  She began by sewing dresses for her sisters out of flour sacks. She made most of her own and her daughters’ clothes growing up as well as outfits for her granddaughters and outfits for the grandchildren’s dolls and stuffed animals. 

Irene was an astounding cook.  Her family enjoyed her noodle soup & butterballs, kraut burgers, rivel kuga, grebble, glace soup, cherry dumplings, angel food and sponge cakes, fried chicken dinners, beef roasts, barbequed ribs, fried macaroni with Irene’s canned tomatoes and German sausage were all family favorites.  She also canned and froze lots of fruits and vegetables that they grew in their garden and kept the basement cool room stocked. No one, including unexpected guests, ever left Irene’s table hungry and she was always a patient teacher in the kitchen. 

Family was of utmost importance to Irene.  This is evidenced in the many car trips she and Harold would make to Oklahoma, Arizona, Idaho and Wyoming to visit family.  She also showered much attention on her grandchildren by taking them shopping for school clothes, Easter outfits, and Christmas outfits. She would often treat her grandkids to popcorn or ice cream on a blanket on the floor in the living room while watching television in the evenings before bed. 

She treasured spending time with family and friends. She was a lifelong member of Women’s Fellowship at Faith Church.  She and Harold would make and package noodles to be sold at the annual church bake sale.  

She is survived by brothers Harry Rusch of Germany, Johnny Rusch of Anchorage, Alaska, and sister Mary Anne (Rusch) Engman of Gooding, Idaho; daughters: Kathleen (Tim) Hettinger and Elizabeth Drieth, six grandchildren; Brian (Jennifer) Hettinger, Kevin (Kari) Hettinger, Jennifer Scheel, Phillip (Shurie) Scheel, Erin (Beach) Graham, and James Scheel, nine great-grandchildren; Brycen (Jana) Hettinger, Ashlyn (Nic) Rentfrow, Colton Hettinger, Caitlyn Hettinger, Kara Hettinger, Kaden Scheel, Alayna Scheel, Addison Graham, and Michael Graham and one great-great-grandson, Lewis Rentfrow.  She will also be greatly missed by sisters-in-law Helen Honstein and Betty Eberhardt and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents Henry and Marie (Schnell) Rusch; siblings Lorraine (Rusch) Cross, John Rusch, Roy Rusch, and Ann Marie Rusch; husband Harold Drieth; infant son Lawrence; daughter Nancy (Drieth) Thiem, and son David Drieth. 

Visitation will be held from 10-11:00 a.m. Wednesday followed by Life Celebration at 11:00 a.m. at Faith Church, Windsor.  A reception will follow.  Interment 2 p.m. Wednesday at Lakeview Cemetery, Windsor. 

Memorial gifts may be made to “Pathways Hospice” – Greeley 4075 W. 11^th Street, Greeley, CO 80634 or “Faith Church of Windsor” - 1020 Walnut Street, Windsor, CO 80550 or in care of Adamson, 2000 47^th Ave., Greeley, CO 80634. 

Service will be live streamed on Facebook at Faith Church of Windsor and condolences can be shared at AdamsonCares.com.