Irene Marie Bushlack, age 88, of Wells, died Sunday, July 4, 2004, at Immanuel-St. Joseph Hospital in Mankato.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 7, at St. Casimir Catholic Church in Wells. The Rev. Eugene Stenzel will officiate. Visitation will be held at Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home in Wells from 5 to 7 p.m. today, with a prayer service at 6:30 p.m., and one hour prior to services on Wednesday, with a rosary at 9:15 a.m. at the church. Interment will be in St. Casimir Catholic Cemetery in Wells.

Irene Marie Bushlack was born Sept. 19, 1915, the daughter of Andrew and Clara (Sonnek) Staloch in Freeborn County. Irene graduated from Freeborn High School. On Sept. 14, 1938, she was united in marriage to Ira Bushlack at St. Casimir Catholic Church in Wells. Irene enjoyed writing, sewing, gardening, reading, and especially enjoyed spending time with her family. Irene devoted much of her free time in prayer.

She is survived by her children: Ron and his wife Mary Bushlack of Mendota Heights, Minn., Gary and his wife Mary Beth Bushlack of Wells, John and his wife Gayle Bushlack of Prior Lake, Minn., Joan Bushlack of Rosemount, Minn., and Denise and her husband Kevin Donovan of Mapleton; one granddaughter, Kelly and her husband Rick Guenther; seven grandsons: Steve and his wife Angie Bushlack, Jeff and his wife Tricia Bushlack, Chris and his wife Betsy Bushlack, Mike and his wife Shelagh Bushlack, Patrick and his wife Brooke Bushlack, Tom Bushlack and Brandon Donovan; 12 great-grandchildren; two brothers: Ray and his wife Rita Staloch of Buffalo, Minn., and Andy and his wife Grace Staloch of Minnesota Lake; four sisters: Terry Mueller of Wells, Jeanne and her husband Mike Weydert of New Richland, Carmen and her husband Pete LaFrance of Plymouth, and Pat and her husband Bill Schindler of Wells; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ira, in 1977; two sisters: Margaret in infancy and Marianne Brixius; three brothers: Alfred, Edmund and Philip Staloch; and two grandsons: Ben Bushlack and Bobby Bushlack.