Irene Wolf was the descendant of Germans that emigrated to the plains of North Dakota. Her parents were Anton Heilman and Barbara Lipp Heilman. She was born and raised in the town of Hague, North Dakota where she attended a one-room schoolhouse next to St. Mary’s Cathedral. Hague is also where she met her husband Robert (Bob) Wolf, with whom she shared over 60 years of marriage.

Religion was a very important part of Irene’s life. She was a member of St. Pius X Parish for over 60 years. She participated in helping others in need as a member of CCW and St. Michaels Circle. If help was needed at a funeral luncheon, she was always available. She supported women who encountered domestic violence by volunteering at Angela’s Piazza.

After high school, Irene attended Dakota Business College in Fargo. She had numerous jobs throughout her life including working at an insurance company and a waitress at Village Inn Pizza. Probably her most enjoyable job was as a “lunch lady” in the St. Pius school cafeteria. But she felt her most important job was raising the 7 children she had over 9 years.

Irene was a consummate caregiver. She was the matriarch of 7 children (Barb, Pat, Diana, Steve, David, Mary, Linda), 7 grandchildren (Cody, Sara, Lynn, Russell, Wesley, Erica, Michael) and 5 great grandchildren (Westin, Easton, Edmund, Griffin, River). Family was everything to her and she was known to capture every family gathering with numerous photographs. She loved to collect things, such as Avon bottles and Beanie Babies. Probably the most challenging times in her life were the death of Bob in 2013 and her daughter Mary and grandson Wesley in 2015.

She had a sense of adventure and was never known to turn down an invitation to travel, camp, fish or vacation. She took many trips with family throughout the U.S. including Yellowstone Park, Las Vegas, Arizona, Utah, California, New Orleans and northern Minnesota. Bob and Irene were regular campers at the Red Lodge campgrounds where family would gather in tents around their motorhome. She was lucky to have 4 sisters to travel with, taking trips to Canada, Egypt, Italy, Greece, England, Wales and Ireland. She rode a camel in Egypt and kissed the Blarney Stone in Ireland!

Irene was a good listener. Those that went to her for advice could expect her to listen quietly, offering a note of encouragement or a positive thought. Family and friends can not remember a time when she said ill or negative thoughts about others. Everyone that met her loved her.

When she was no longer able to live at home, she had 4 wonderful years of assisted living at Westpark Village. Here she was able to explore activities she had never had time for as a young mother. She loved attending art lessons and music concerts. When her health started to fail further, she moved to St. Johns United memory care cottage.

The last 6 months of her life were challenging as she struggled with a broken hip that did not heal properly and worsening dementia. But she approached her health problems with the quiet determination that was her hallmark. Her caregivers remarked that she was so sweet and never cross with them. The family would like to thank the St. Johns caregivers and hospice for the compassionate care they provided to Irene in her final days.

We are sure she is on her next adventure again, except this time high above, to Heaven.

♬ Goodnight, Irene, goodnight, Irene – We’ll see you in our dreams. ♬

A rosary will be held on Thursday, July 16th at 6 PM at Michelotti-Sawyers Funeral Home and a funeral mass will be held on Friday, July 17th, 2026 at 11 AM at St. Pius X Catholic Church.