Irene M. Zirbes, age 88, of Watertown, SD, passed away on Saturday, January 9, 2016, at the hospital in Watertown. Memorial Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 16, 2016, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Watertown with a Rosary being prayed at 10:10 a.m. The celebrant will be Fr. Paul Rutten. Music will be provided by Helen Gollnick as organist with the I. C. Funeral Choir. The family is requested to meet at the church by 10:00 a.m. for a prayer service.

Arrangements are being handled by the Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel of Watertown.

Burial will take place at the Castlewood Cemetery in Castlewood, SD.

Irene was born on July 22, 1927, at Castlewood, SD, to John P. and Catherine (Gergen) Zirbes. She attended and graduated from Castlewood High School. Irene furthered her education by attending NSU and graduated from St. Luke’s School of Nursing in Aberdeen, SD. She was a member of the Presentation Sisters’ Convent for whom she worked as a nurse in many locations over 25 years. In 1974, she moved to Watertown and began as a Registered Nurse at Memorial and St. Ann’s Hospitals, retiring in 1992.

She was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and the Mother Theresa Rosary Makers. She enjoyed horseback riding in her younger years, knitting, reading, gardening, baking, fishing, spending time outdoors, and rooting for her “beloved Twins” each baseball season.

Irene is survived by one brother, Francis “Jack” Zirbes, of Watertown; one sister, Stella Wiersma, of Ft. Myers, FL; three sisters-in-law: Shirley Zirbes of Stillwater, OK, Donna Zirbes of Watertown and Jewel Zirbes of Farmington, MO; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; five brothers: Raymond, Clarence “Johnny,” James, George, and Ralph “Butch;” and three sisters: Mary Jane Skallerud, Rosella Rudebusch, and Marjorie Cordell.