Irene Kortmeyer, a former resident of Dawson Creek from 1952 until 1999, passed away peacefully at her home on June 6, 2010 in Burns Lake B.C..
Irene was born in the winter of 1924 in Outlook, Saskatchewan where she was raised by her parents alongside her brother and sister. Before her marriage, she was a bank teller at the Outlook branch of the Bank of Montreal. Irene married Carl Kortmeyer in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan in 1944. Work with Able Drilling brought the couple to Dawson Creek in 1952. This is where they settled down to raise their family. Over the years, you would see Irene working alongside Carl in several of their businesses. They were partners in Corlane Sporting Goods. They were also instrumental in opening the first A&W drive-in and the first Dairy Queen. During the time spent in Dawson Creek, Irene and Carl developed several close friendships. They enjoyed travelling and spending time with their friends whenever they could.
While living in Dawson Creek, Irene was a member of Grace Lutheran Church, Sons of Norway, and the Dawson Creek Curling Club. Irene participated in the B.C. Senior Games in 1995 where she won a silver medal in the 3-mile walk event, and in 1996 Irene won a gold medal in the 6-mile walk event. Irene also belonged to the Dawson Creek Potters Guild where she learned how to make the many treasures for her family and friends.
Later, Irene moved to Burns Lake to be closer to her family. Here, she became an active member of the Curling Club, Burns Lake Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop, Community Choir, and also volunteered at the Pines Extended Care Home where she loved to entertain and dance with the senior residents. Curling was a passion of Irene’s until problems with her knee forced her to quit. You could still find her watching the curlers at the local club, or at home watching the televised curling events and cheering for her favourite teams. She made very good friends in Burns Lake. Often, they could be found having lunch in one of the local restaurants.
She was known best for her love of family, travel and adventure, as well as her singing whenever the desire arose. She enjoyed gardening, rock hounding, dancing, choir, being part of the action, and especially fishing. Her greatest delights were her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and her ever-amusing dog Scamp.
She was a beloved daughter, sister, sister-in-law, mother, mother-in-law, aunt, great aunt, cousin, grandmother, and great grandmother. She is survived by her sister Myrtle and her brother-in-law Don, her daughter Dyanne, her son Jack and daughter-in-law Diane, her son Brian and daughter-in-law Tatiana, many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and her beloved dog Scamp. Irene was predeceased by her husband Carl.
A Celebration of Irene’s Life will be held on June 26, 2010 at the at the First Mennonite Church in Burns Lake at 2:00 p.m.. Interment will be in the Dawson Creek City Cemetery at a later date. Expressions of sympathy in memory of Irene can be made by way of donation to the B.C. Diabetes Association’s Prince George Branch at 103-490 Quebec Street, Prince George, BC, V2L 5N5.