Betz, Irene Mae, April 4, 1924-Sept. 19, 2014 The Tribune Greeley, Colorado 23 Sep 2014 Age: 90 Residence: Greeley Irene Mae Betz, 90, of Greeley passed away Sept. 19, 2014, at North Colorado Medical Center. She was born April 4, 1924, in Denver, to William and Katherine (Henry) Schoneman. Irene lived in Greeley for six years with her great aunt. In 1930, her parents came for her to work in the fields in Nebraska thinning beets, shocking grain, hoeing weeds and picking potatoes. She had eight years of schooling but spent most of her time working in the fields. Irene married Leo Betz in Gering, Neb. on Nov. 25, 1942. Their son Dennis was born in 1944 in Scottsbluff, Neb. She helped Leo at lambing time in Bayard, Neb., working for Ginn Company feeding 4,000 sheep. In the summer of 1947, the family moved to Platteville to help her father and brothers on the farm. Irene worked at the potato docks, and in the evening worked as a hostess at Judy’s Supper Club in Platteville. In October they moved to Greeley to work for Manuel Kindsfater. In June of 1949, their daughter Carolyn was born. In 1950, they started their own farm and dairy. She helped Leo on the farm cultivating, hauling beets and with the hay harvest. Irene returned to school after their son Dennis joined the Air Force. She became a secretary for a real estate office. In 1970, she went to work at North Colorado Medical Center as a secretary and aide in the maternity ward. She retired in 1990 to take care of their daughter Carolyn, who passed away in 1993. She also took care of Leo, who had a stroke in 1996 and suffered from Alzheimer’s. He passed away in 2002. Irene enjoyed going to Evans Senior Center, seeing all her friends and traveling with them whenever possible. She was also a member of the Red Hats Grandmas. She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and those who adopted her as their grandmother. She enjoyed her crafts, making everything you could imagine from dolls to rabbits. She knitted and crocheted, making afghans, growing her flowers and plants, canning, taking pictures and being with her family. She kept very busy. In January 2013 she moved to Life Care Center. She presented ideas that were accepted and kept up with crafts in volume that were sold during the craft shows. While living there she also began to paint. Irene is survived by her son, Dennis, and Laura Ann Betz of Greeley; two sisters, Sharon (Robert) Grauberger of Wheatland, Wyo. and Doris Odenbaugh of Platteville; four grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Leo; daughter, Carolyn Ann; and three brothers, Albert, Billy, and Johnny Schoneman. Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24, at Stoddard Funeral Home. Funeral service will take place at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, at Stoddard Funeral Home. Interment at Sunset Memorial Gardens. A reception will follow at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 1800 21st Ave., Greeley, Colorado 80631.