Irene M. (Cummings) Whitford 09/08/1936 - 01/08/2008
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Irene Whitford
HOT SPRINGS - After a valiant fight to the very end, Irene Whitford, age
71, lost her battle with Pancreatic cancer January 8, 2008 in her home in
Hot Springs, SD. with her family at her bedside. Irene was never one to
give up, having lived with Epilepsy for the majority of her life and
COPD with oxygen dependence for the last 6 years prior to her cancer
diagnosis. Irene's lungs were insufficient for any surgical interventions,
even though it would have bought her some time if she could have
undergone surgery. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are not
affective against this cancer. In spite of being told there was nothing to
be done but wait for the disease to progress, Irene actively pursued
natural cures including herbs, Chinese medicinal tea, and a vegetarian
diet but they were not curative. Irene May Cummings was born August
9, 1936 to William Raymond Cummings and Eva Mary Ann (Pridgeon)
Cummings. She was born in Newcastle, Wyoming in the log house that
her parents had built for her elder brothers to live in while attending
High School. This was during the great depression and the great
drought. Due to these factors, the family left the homestead 25 miles
west of Newcastle and moved to work in the mines in Montana in 1938.
Other places lived during these few years were Belle Fourche, SD and
Tinton, SD. The family moved back to Wyoming where Irene's father
mined coal in the Rochelle Hills Mine by hand. The County
Superintendent, Sybil Jackson, brought out supplies for Irene's mother
to teach her first grade. The next year, Elizabeth Cummings, Irene's
sister-in-law was hired to teach at the Darlington School. This school
was located at the junction of the county road which came out west and
crossed the north / south road which is now called Lynch Road. There
were 3 students, Irene, and cousins Glen Darlington and Byrd Lynch.
The weather improved and they were able to move back to their
homestead ranch. Irene attended High School at Newcastle High and
graduated in 1954. She was active in 4-H and won the Wyoming
Governors Award for wool that was produced by sheep she had raised
as well as awards for other projects. She grew up with the best family
and neighbors in the county that she could ever hope for. Irene was 10
when her nephews and nieces were born and she had 8 years to play
with them. She attended Black Hills Teachers College in Spearfish, SD
where she met her husband John R. Whitford. They were married May
29, 1955 at the Cummings Ranch west of Newcastle. After they were
married, they moved to various places where John worked in schools or
attended more college himself. They lived in Winner, SD where their
eldest daughter, Mary Aletha was born. Irene and John moved to Grand
Forks, ND so John could attend the Doctoral program and their second
child Margaret Renee was born. John, Irene, and daughters lived in
Belvedere, SD prior to moving to Oelrichs, SD where they had their son,
Mark Winston. Irene worked as an EMT from 1974-1990 and was a
founding member of the Oelrichs Ambulance Service. Irene was a
member of the United Methodist Church sporadically throughout the
years. She was also very active in other activities such as the United
Methodist Women, Jolly Workers Extension Club, PTA-SACO in
Oelrichs and the Bennett Belles Extension Club in Martin. John, Irene,
and Mark moved to Martin, SD where they lived for 10 years prior to
returning to the Hot Springs area for retirement. It was just prior to
moving to Martin that Irene joined the full-time out of the home
workforce, working as a waitress and salad bar preparation person in
Vesta's and the D & D restaurants. She also worked as a clerk at the
Dakota Rose Restaurant and Dick and Mary's Grocery in Hot Springs
prior to retirement. In her later years, she enjoyed attending the sporting
events of her 5 grandchildren and working on her passion/hobby
genealogy through which she developed a very respectable level of
computer literacy. Irene is survived by her husband John; daughters,
Mary Boyd (Russell Bledsoe) of Hot Springs; Margaret Evans (Robert
Evans) of Hot Springs; son, Mark of Albuquerque, NM; five
grandchildren, Karisa (Josh) Buckwheat, Cole (Chelsey) Richards, Adam
(Amy Cisneros) Evans, Kyle Holloway, and Justin Evans; two great
grand-babies, Zayne Evans and Samantha Buckwheat who have been
the biggest joy of her life in the last 1-1/2 years; sister-in-law, Elizabeth
Cummings of Newcastle, WY; brother-in-law, Jerry Whitford, of
Ashland, NE; aunt, Gladys Pridgeon of Gillette, WY and special
survivor who was like a son to her, Todd Holloway. Irene was preceded
in death by her parents, two brothers, William Cummings and Harold
Cummings; Harold's wife, Irene Adams Cummings, and many other
friends and relatives who meant the world to her. Visitation will be
from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m., Friday, January 11, 2008 at McColley's Chapel
of the Hills in Hot Springs. Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m.,
Saturday, January 12, 2008 at McColley's Chapel of the Hills with Pastor
Morris Nelson officiating. Interment will follow at the Evergreen
Cemetery. A memorial has been established in Irene's name to benefit
the Oelrichs Volunteer Ambulance Service in Oelrichs, SD.
Arrangements have been placed in the care of McColley's Chapel of the
Hills in Hot Springs. Written condolences can be made at
www.mccolleyschapels.com.
Published in the Rapid City Journal on 1/10/2008.
HOT SPRINGS - After a valiant fight to the very end, Irene Whitford, age
71, lost her battle with Pancreatic cancer January 8, 2008 in her home in
Hot Springs, SD. with her family at her bedside. Irene was never one to
give up, having lived with Epilepsy for the majority of her life and
COPD with oxygen dependence for the last 6 years prior to her cancer
diagnosis. Irene's lungs were insufficient for any surgical interventions,
even though it would have bought her some time if she could have
undergone surgery. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are not
affective against this cancer. In spite of being told there was nothing to
be done but wait for the disease to progress, Irene actively pursued
natural cures including herbs, Chinese medicinal tea, and a vegetarian
diet but they were not curative. Irene May Cummings was born August
9, 1936 to William Raymond Cummings and Eva Mary Ann (Pridgeon)
Cummings. She was born in Newcastle, Wyoming in the log house that
her parents had built for her elder brothers to live in while attending
High School. This was during the great depression and the great
drought. Due to these factors, the family left the homestead 25 miles
west of Newcastle and moved to work in the mines in Montana in 1938.
Other places lived during these few years were Belle Fourche, SD and
Tinton, SD. The family moved back to Wyoming where Irene's father
mined coal in the Rochelle Hills Mine by hand. The County
Superintendent, Sybil Jackson, brought out supplies for Irene's mother
to teach her first grade. The next year, Elizabeth Cummings, Irene's
sister-in-law was hired to teach at the Darlington School. This school
was located at the junction of the county road which came out west and
crossed the north / south road which is now called Lynch Road. There
were 3 students, Irene, and cousins Glen Darlington and Byrd Lynch.
The weather improved and they were able to move back to their
homestead ranch. Irene attended High School at Newcastle High and
graduated in 1954. She was active in 4-H and won the Wyoming
Governors Award for wool that was produced by sheep she had raised
as well as awards for other projects. She grew up with the best family
and neighbors in the county that she could ever hope for. Irene was 10
when her nephews and nieces were born and she had 8 years to play
with them. She attended Black Hills Teachers College in Spearfish, SD
where she met her husband John R. Whitford. They were married May
29, 1955 at the Cummings Ranch west of Newcastle. After they were
married, they moved to various places where John worked in schools or
attended more college himself. They lived in Winner, SD where their
eldest daughter, Mary Aletha was born. Irene and John moved to Grand
Forks, ND so John could attend the Doctoral program and their second
child Margaret Renee was born. John, Irene, and daughters lived in
Belvedere, SD prior to moving to Oelrichs, SD where they had their son,
Mark Winston. Irene worked as an EMT from 1974-1990 and was a
founding member of the Oelrichs Ambulance Service. Irene was a
member of the United Methodist Church sporadically throughout the
years. She was also very active in other activities such as the United
Methodist Women, Jolly Workers Extension Club, PTA-SACO in
Oelrichs and the Bennett Belles Extension Club in Martin. John, Irene,
and Mark moved to Martin, SD where they lived for 10 years prior to
returning to the Hot Springs area for retirement. It was just prior to
moving to Martin that Irene joined the full-time out of the home
workforce, working as a waitress and salad bar preparation person in
Vesta's and the D & D restaurants. She also worked as a clerk at the
Dakota Rose Restaurant and Dick and Mary's Grocery in Hot Springs
prior to retirement. In her later years, she enjoyed attending the sporting
events of her 5 grandchildren and working on her passion/hobby
genealogy through which she developed a very respectable level of
computer literacy. Irene is survived by her husband John; daughters,
Mary Boyd (Russell Bledsoe) of Hot Springs; Margaret Evans (Robert
Evans) of Hot Springs; son, Mark of Albuquerque, NM; five
grandchildren, Karisa (Josh) Buckwheat, Cole (Chelsey) Richards, Adam
(Amy Cisneros) Evans, Kyle Holloway, and Justin Evans; two great
grand-babies, Zayne Evans and Samantha Buckwheat who have been
the biggest joy of her life in the last 1-1/2 years; sister-in-law, Elizabeth
Cummings of Newcastle, WY; brother-in-law, Jerry Whitford, of
Ashland, NE; aunt, Gladys Pridgeon of Gillette, WY and special
survivor who was like a son to her, Todd Holloway. Irene was preceded
in death by her parents, two brothers, William Cummings and Harold
Cummings; Harold's wife, Irene Adams Cummings, and many other
friends and relatives who meant the world to her. Visitation will be
from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m., Friday, January 11, 2008 at McColley's Chapel
of the Hills in Hot Springs. Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m.,
Saturday, January 12, 2008 at McColley's Chapel of the Hills with Pastor
Morris Nelson officiating. Interment will follow at the Evergreen
Cemetery. A memorial has been established in Irene's name to benefit
the Oelrichs Volunteer Ambulance Service in Oelrichs, SD.
Arrangements have been placed in the care of McColley's Chapel of the
Hills in Hot Springs. Written condolences can be made at
www.mccolleyschapels.com.
Published in the Rapid City Journal on 1/10/2008.
Click on photo to enlarge.
Photo is from Irene's wedding
May 29, 1955.
Photo is from Irene's wedding
May 29, 1955.
Memorial Card from
service - front. Click to
enlarge
service - front. Click to
enlarge
Inside of Memorial Card.
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge