Irene Schoepke

Irene Ruth Schoepke, 93, of Wausau, passed away on Sunday, July 5, 2020, at Aspirus Wausau Hospital.

She was born on August 30, 1926, to the late Albert and Melida (Luetschwager) Golz. Irene stood up as a bridesmaid for a friend’s wedding, where she met Leander “Bud” Schoepke, who was a groomsman at the same wedding. It was that evening that they had their first dance, and when their love began. Bud and Irene were married on September 13, 1947, at St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Wausau, and celebrated 67 years of marriage before Bud’s passing on March 28, 2014.

Irene went to a country school for eight years, before graduating from Wausau High School in 1944. She then worked for the Wipfli Accounting Firm for 42 years and was a lifetime member of St. Stephen Lutheran Church, where she was baptized, confirmed, and married. She belonged to the Women of St. Stephens and taught Sunday School there. She enjoyed spending summers at her cabin on Fence Lake and vacationing in Florida and Mexico with her family. She also enjoyed dancing and listening to polka music, lunch with her girlfriends, cooking, reading, and doing puzzles, as well as creating and attending craft shows with her husband Bud. Most important to Irene was her family, she loved watching both her grand and great-grandchildren participate in their activities and spending time with them whenever she could. Her memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.

Irene is survived by her son, Lee (Lynn) Schoepke; two granddaughters, Nicole (Jeff) Starck and Megan (Wyatt) Thompson and her four great-grandchildren, Ethan Starck and Braxton, Sawyer, and Asher Thompson.

In addition to her parents and husband, Irene was preceded in death by her sister and her husband, Carol (Gene) Thomas; sister-in-law and her husband Evelyn (Kenny) Jaeger; and one brother-in-law and his wife, Lester (Dorothy) Schoepke.

A graveside service will take place at 11:00 am on Thursday, July 9, 2020, at Pine Grove Cemetery, Wausau. Pastor Jen Hoffman will officiate. Family and friends may go to helke.com to leave words of remembrance and condolences.