Irene Voorhees, age 97, of Benson, passed away on Tuesday, October 14, 2014, at the Golden Living Center in Benson. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m., Friday, October 17, 2014, at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Benson. Visitation will be held 5:00 - 7:00 p.m., Thursday, October 16, 2014, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Benson and for one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in the West Bank Cemetery, south of Danvers. Irene Deloris Voorhees was born June 17, 1917, in Swenoda Township, Swift County, Minnesota, to Gilbert H. and Bertha Amanda (Sandven) Fragodt. She was baptized and confirmed at the West Bank Lutheran Church. She grew up on the family farm south of Danvers and attended District #78 school. On October 3, 1937, Irene was united in marriage to William Voorhees at the Big Bend Parsonage. This union was blessed with more than 60 years of marriage, 6 children, 17 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and 10 great-great-grandchildren. She farmed alongside her husband, William, in Swenoda Township, Swift County, until they purchased the farm in West Bank township in 1942. They moved to Benson in 1971. Irene had different jobs including working at Finger Hut, Activity Director at Meadow Lane, and at the Benson Greenhouse. She was active in the West Bank Lutheran Church, in Sunday School and Ladies Aid. After her husband passed away, she joined Trinity Lutheran Church in Benson, MN. She enjoyed music, gardening, quilting, visiting, and keeping up with her family. Irene passed away Tuesday, October 14, 2014, at the Golden Living Center - Meadow Lane Nursing Home in Benson, Minnesota. She had attained 97 years, 3 months, and 27 days of age. She was preceded in death by her parents, Gilbert and Bertha; husband, William on September 5, 1998; her oldest child, Roger on May 10, 1975; daughter-in-law, Janice on December 13, 1988; son-in-law, Ray Koosman on April 12, 2008; great-grandson, Caleb Judovsky on September 3, 2009; her siblings Harriet and Eunice Voorhees, Ralph, Donald, Paul, Kenneth, Gerald , and infant twin baby boys (Fragodt). Irene was the oldest of 10 children. She is survived by her children: Janet Koosman of Willmar, Eldon (Mary) Voorhees of rural Appleton, Karen (Darrel) Hamann of Maple Grove, Marie (Martin) Avelsgaard of Benson, Keith Voorhees of Raymond; grandchildren: Julie (Doug) Kveene, Rodney (Pam) Voorhees, Jodie (Joel) Kaden, Janel (Jody) Skindelien, Duane (Kim) Hamann, Lisa (Tracy) Koosman, Daniel Voorhees, Amy Roggenbuck, Chad (Amy) Hamann, Sarah (Ken) Dombeck, Nancy Colon, Ryan (Heather) Hamann, Samantha (Dereck) Tessmer, William (Mary Jo) Voorhees, Andrea (David) Dinneen, Alicia (Trevor) Fosso, and Kelsey Voorhees; great-grandchildren: Jeanne (Mitch) Ashburn, Kristina (Jeremy) LaBrie, Andrew (Abbey) Kveene, Jordan and Tristan Voorhees, Colby and Austin Judovsky, Braden Koosman, Joelyn and Jacob Kaden, Jonathan and Jessica Skindelien, Yaneliz and Eva Colon, Kayla, Matthew and Jenna Hamann, Conner, Corey and Austin Roggenbuck, Abbey and Sydney Hamann, Braden, Colten and Westen Hamann, Lilith Dombeck, and Lucus Tessmer; great-great-grandchildren: Zachary and Emily Ashburn, Lucus, Kennedy, Brooks and Ryne LaBrie, Aiden, Addison, Amelia and Alaina Kveene; special friend, Erik Petersen of Benson; sisters-in-law, Johanna Fragodt of Minneapolis and Vonnie Fragodt of Benson, in-laws: Leonard (Margaret) Voorhees of Danvers, Del (Joan) Voorhees of Appleton, Jerry (Janet) Voorhees of Alexandria, and Ward (Carol) Voorhees of Morris; and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.
