- Irene Laursen, May 6, 1911 - December 13, 2007
Irene Sylvia Laursen, a Gilroy resident since 1959 and a woman of quiet strength, died in the early morning hours of Thursday, December 13th , at Santa Theresa Hospital in San Jose. She was 96 years old. Born Irene Sylvia Peters on May 6th, 1911, she was eleventh of twelve children in a farming family of Dutch descent in the rural northwestern corner of Nebraska. Three years old at the outbreak of World War I, nine when women finally won the right to vote, an academically promising teenager at the time of The Great Depression, Irene had flowing red hair and a strong yet slender physique, and a love of dancing. She married fellow Nebraskan Rud Erik Laursen, better known by his nickname of Rudy, a son of Danish immigrants, on April 18, 1936. The couple had three children while living in Nebraska. They are Lorrie Baker, resident of Oakland, Phillip Laursen, resident of Gilroy, and Byron Laursen, resident of Santa Ynez.
Irene had a playful and quicksilver wit, weaving impromptu jokes into conversations, smiling quickly as listeners caught on. One of her greatest sources of pride was the 1956 ?Mother of the Year? award given her by the PTA of her sons' elementary school. She also served as a Den Mother during their Cub Scout years. Lorrie was completing her degree at Fresno State College when Irene and Rudy Laursen bought a house at 1040 Wayland Lane, which was in 1959 Gilroy's westernmost developed street. Both sons graduated from Gilroy Union High School, Phillip in 1960 and Byron in 1962. All three of her children became teachers, Lorrie and Phillip remaining in the profession for entire careers while Byron eventually branched into writing.
A shy personality, yet remarkably determined, Irene survived by 35 years the loss of her beloved Rudy, and for many years enjoyed dancing as part of the Gilroy Gliders square dancing club. . Her spirits were sustained in no small measure by the three beautiful granddaughters who resulted from Phillip's marriage to lifelong Gilroyan Kathleen Marie Elia. Those granddaughters Lisa Marie Laursen, Jennifer Lee Laursen, and Kristin Ann Laursen graduated from Gilroy Union High School, and all currently reside in San Francisco, where they are active in the arts while pursuing careers. Lisa, in youthful attempts to pronounce her grandmother's name, called Irene 'Mimi.' Receiving this new name touched a profound chord in Irene's heart: She was always Mimi to her deeply loved grandchildren.
A lifelong Catholic, a 48-year member of Saint Mary's Parish in Gilroy, Irene received last rites three days before her passing. She is survived by her children and grandchildren, and by two devoted daughters-in-law, Kathleen Marie Laursen of Gilroy and Theresa Volpe Laursen, originally of Ocean City, New Jersey and currently of Santa Ynez.
A graveside service will be held at noon on Tuesday, December 18, at St. Mary's Cemetery in Gilroy. Plans are being made for a celebration of Irene's life, to be held in the near future.
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1911 - 2007 (96 years)
Has 20 ancestors and 3 descendants in this family tree.
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Laursen, Phill
