Irene Virginia Boxberger was born on Nov. 27, 1916 and grew up on the family farm in Russell County, the daughter of Emanuel and Mary Elizabeth Milberger Dumler. She attended Bunker Hill School and later Russell High School, graduating in 1932. She died Jan. 7, 2013 at her home in Great Bend.
After graduation, she worked at the Russell County Wheat Board and later at the Home State Bank in Russell, where she was the secretary to the Bank President, C.W. Shaffer.
In April 1939, Irene married Carl William Boxberger, son of Henry George Boxberger and Eugenia Becker Boxberger of Russell County. They lived in Russell and later in Dodge City, where their son Gary was born. They moved to Great Bend where their son Donald was born and later, their daughter Linda.
While Irene was a homemaker after marriage, she took meticulous care of the household accounts, and at various times the books of the family’s business. She was proud of the skills she had learned during her working years and was happy to use them for her family benefit. She was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church, where she taught Sunday School, mid-week Bible School, and served in her Church Circle.
 Irene and Carl were serious players in couples’ bridge clubs, and Irene also enjoyed playing in ladies’ bridge clubs. She had loved playing cards and games since childhood. She also enjoyed playing golf and traveling. Besides traveling with Carl to visit family, for decades she enjoyed an annual trip to Colorado with women friends. Irene made frequent trips in Kansas, elsewhere in the U.S., and toured overseas with friends.
In her last years, Irene appreciated and enjoyed the care and companionship of in-home caregivers. She was grateful for their care and for the opportunity to stay in her home, where she enjoyed watching her backyard bird feeders and flower gardens.
She is survived by her son, Gary Boxberger; daughter, Linda Boxberger and husband Awad A. Abdelgadir; grandson David Emanuel Boxberger and wife Barbara, great-granddaughters Alexandra Irene and Christina and great-grandson Maxwell; granddaughter Marianne Gold and husband Irwin and great-granddaughter Lauren; and grandson John Boxberger. She is also survived by nephew Bill Horn and companion June Murray; niece Lynne Royce and husband Paul Petzold; nephew Kirk Kreie; niece Audrey Rein Vaughn and husband Stan Vaughn, great-nephew Mark Vaughn, great-niece Whitney Vaughn; great-niece Conner Pendland and great-nephew Brett Pendland; and nephew Henry Ethem. She is survived by in-laws Joanne and James Kreie, Ruth Boxberger, and Esther Ethem.
Irene was preceded in death by her parents; son, Donald Boxberger; husband, Carl W. Boxberger; brother, Dale Emanuel Dumler; sister Whilmetta Horn; and niece Karen Rein Pendland. She was also preceded in death by in-laws Ed Ethem; Virginia and Eddie Rein; and Max Horn.
Services will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church at 11 a.m. on  Friday, Jan. 11 in Great Bend. Visitation will be Thursday, Jan. 10, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Bryant Funeral Home, with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Memorials are suggested to Trinity Lutheran Church in care of Bryant Funeral Home.

Arrangements are provided by
Bryant Funeral Home**
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS  67530
Great Bend (Kan) Tribune, Jan. 9, 2013