Irene Lorraine Niebuhr, 85, of Wells died Friday, Sept. 21, 2018, in Wells. A funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Wells. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home and will continue one hour prior to the service. The Rev. Mary Iverson will officiate. Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home in Wells is assisting the family. To leave an online condolence, visit www.brussheitner.com.

Irene Lorraine was born Nov. 14, 1932, in Foster Township, Faribault County, the daughter of William Wenthold and Elizabeth (Staloch) Wenthold. She was united in marriage to Richard Niebuhr on July 1, 1959, in Wells. Irene was a beautician and worked at Pines Ballroom, Golden Bubble and in the kitchens at Wells Hospital and the Wells school. Her hobbies included bowling, fishing, gardening, reading and socializing with lady friends for cards and coffee. For years she catered for the Hoot’n Holler group, volunteered at Wells American Legion and Wells Veterans of Foreign Wars and was a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.

Irene is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Richard Niebuhr; son, William Niebuhr; and brothers Clarence and Norbert Wenthold.

She is survived by her children Linda (Bob) Buendorf of Wells, Brenda (Jim) Anderson of Rochester, Sandra (Dale) Tatge of Wells, Michael (Aubrey) Niebuhr of Wells and Lucinda (Paul) Zbaracki of Golden Valley; 15 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; sister, Dolores McKean, of Cathedral City, California; sisters-in-law Donna Wenthold of Cathedral City and Charlene Harris of Wells; and many nieces and nephews and their families.