Irene Allison

Irene Allison, 101, of Waukon died Thursday, November 10, 2022 at Strawberry Point Lutheran Home in Strawberry Point. Funeral services will be held Monday, November 28 at 11 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon 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, 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 she graduated from Waukon High School. While at the Soda Grill in Waukon, she met James Truman Allison. They married 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; her husband, Jim, in 1971; her son-in-law, Edward Williams; her siblings: William Loven, Margaret (Leonard) Feuerhelm, Marion Loven, Vernon (Patricia) Loven and Roger (Doris “Sue”) Loven; and her 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.

Online condolences may be left at www.martinfunerals.com.