Irene Allison

Irene Allison, 101, of Waukon, IA, died Thursday, November 10, 2022, at Strawberry Point Lutheran Home in Strawberry Point, IA. Funeral services will be held Monday, November 28th, at 11:00 AM at St. John's Lutheran Church in Waukon, IA, with Pastor Bryan Robertson officiating. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery in Waukon. Friends may greet the family one hour before the service at the church. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements.

Irene Allison was born May 2, 1921, in Decorah, IA, the third child of Albert Herman and Anna Ovidia (Fortun) Loven. Her family farmed in the Rushford and Mabel, MN, area until she was five years old; they then moved to rural Northeast Iowa. Irene was baptized and confirmed at Glenwood Lutheran Church in rural Decorah and, as an adult, joined St. John's Lutheran Church in Waukon. Irene attended country schools in Winneshiek and Allamakee Counties and in 1939, graduated from Waukon High School. While at the Soda Grill in Waukon, she met James Truman Allison. They married on November 6, 1942, in Canton, MO, and lived and raised their family in Waukon, where she worked at Schultz Variety Store, the Model Café, the county nurses office, and Northern Engraving. In 2003, Irene retired from Impro Products after working there 35 years.

In addition to being a member of the St. John's ladies' circles, Irene was a boy scout leader and a volunteer at Veterans Memorial Hospital. She enjoyed playing cards and belonged to card clubs. Irene was always up for going shopping or going out for coffee with friends. She also liked gardening, canning, and baking bread. Irene loved crafts, from crocheting blankets, sewing, needlepoint, rosemaling, and string art, to making holiday wreaths, ornaments, and candles. As a young girl, Irene learned to quilt while spending time with her grandma Loven and it developed into a lifelong passion, making countless quilts for her family, friends, and as gifts.

Irene is survived by her children: Janice Williams of Tampa, FL, James (Janice) Allison of Waukon, John "Jack" (Diane) Allison of Waukon, Jerome (Henriette Fernades) Allison of Jackson, MS, and Jill (Giles) Teslow of Decorah; 18 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren; and a sister Evelyn Ode of Decorah.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Jim in 1971; son-in-law Edward Williams; siblings: William Loven, Margaret (Leonard) Feuerhelm, Marion Loven, Vernon (Patricia) Loven, and Roger (Doris "Sue") Loven; and brother-in-law Lester Ode.

Casketbearers are her grandsons: Ian Williams, Colin Williams, Jamie Allison, Michael Allison, Cody Allison, Jeff Allison, Joel Allison, Jared Allison, Jergen Teslow, John Teslow, and Juel Teslow.