Irene Thiel

Irene Thiel, 86, of Wahpeton, ND, passed away on Saturday, December 25, 2021.  Visitation will be held at St. John’s Catholic Church in Wahpeton on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, at 4:00 PM, followed by a prayer service and rosary at 5:30 PM.  The family would like to invite everyone to join them at Texas Crossing in Tyler, ND, for drinks following the prayer service.  Visitation will continue at the church on Thursday, December 30, 2021, at 10:00 AM, followed by her Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 AM.  A live stream of her services will be available on her obituary page on the funeral home’s website.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Chahinkapa Zoo, Chahinkapa Park, or CHI Health at Home Hospice.  Arrangements have been entrusted to Vertin-Munson Funeral Home, Wahpeton.

Irene Louise Harth was born on December 29, 1934, to her parents, George and Amy (Sommerness) Harth, in Lehr, ND. She moved with her family to New England, ND, where she attended kindergarten through 8th grade. The family then moved to Rothsay, MN to take over the Hovland family farm. Irene graduated high school in Rothsay, then attended St. Luke’s School of Nursing in Fargo, ND, and became a registered nurse. She took great joy in maintaining her friendships with the nurses she worked with throughout her life.

Irene met, then married Gordon Herman Thiel on November 15, 1956. Together they lived on a farmstead outside of Wahpeton, where they had their four children, Tammy, Thomas, Kathryn, and William. They later moved into Wahpeton, where they lived together for 55 years. Irene enjoyed entertaining and hosted many parties at their lake and, later, in their backyard pool.

Irene retired from nursing in 1991, which allowed her to spend more time with her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and her great-great-grandchildren. Irene loved caring for her family and was proudly “everyone’s grandma”.

Together with her husband, Gordie, Irene traveled extensively in the U.S. and Canada but also many countries abroad including most of Europe, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and some South Pacific Islands. She was an active member of the VFW Auxiliary in support of her husband’s service as a Marine. She used her beautiful voice to cantor for St John’s Catholic Church and other local churches. Gordie talked her into planting flowers at the VFW Airplane Park since 1985, and she took great pleasure in seeing those flowers bloom.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Gordon; sons, Tom Thiel and Bill Thiel; sister, Ida Volker; sister-in-law, Janice Harth; and brother-in-law, Arnie Domm.

Irene is survived by her daughters, Tammy (Patrick “Rusty”) Teehan and Kathy (Mike) Matejcek; 10 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; a great-great-grandson; brother, Allyn Harth; sister-in-law, Muriel Domm; and several nieces and nephews.

Irene's Memorial Folder