Irene May (Peterson) Van Allen

Irene May Van Allen, 87, of Hager City, died on Saturday, April 2, 2022, at Ellsworth Health Services. She was born in El Paso, WI, on May 7, 1934, to Helmer and Ethel (Bowen) Peterson. She grew up in El Paso, graduated from Ellsworth High School in 1951, and began working in the office at Northwest Airlines. She was united in marriage on March 4, 1953, to Kenneth Van Allen in El Paso, WI. They lived in Minneapolis for a short time before returning to the area in 1959. Irene worked at 3M Chemolite for about 14 years. She attended the Red Wing Vo-Tech for nursing and became an LPN, working at St. John’s Hospital and Interstate Medical Clinic. She was a member of the Church of St. Joseph, St. John’s Hospital Auxiliary, and the Mississippi Golf Links. She enjoyed golfing, painting, cross stitching, crocheting, knitting, and sewing. She was a very pleasant, happy, and kind woman.

She is survived by her husband, Kenneth of Hager City; two children, Terry Van Allen of Hager City and Michael Van Allen of Yuma, AZ; siblings, Wayne (Bonnie) Peterson of Baldwin, WI, Tom Peterson (friend, Judy) of Menomonie, WI, Janice Patterson of Cuba City, WI; sister-in-law, Margie Peterson of Cloquet, MN; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Keith Peterson.

Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, at the Church of St. Joseph in Red Wing. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be at a later date at Calvary Cemetery in Red Wing. Memorials are preferred to the River Bluff Humane Society. Arrangements made by Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel in Red Wing. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com