Iris Jeanette Luehr passed away on December 1st, 2012. Iris was born on June 8th, 1929 to Charles and Lillian DeKrey on the family farm near Pettibone, ND. The family moved to Steele, ND in 1940 and then to Velva, ND in 1945. She graduated from high school in Velva in 1947. Iris married Mel Luehr at the Methodist Church in Velva, ND on February 28th, 1948. At the time of Mel’s death in 2008, they had been married for 60 years.
Iris and Mel lived in various towns in Minnesota and North Dakota before moving to Helena, MT on November 12, 1955. They bought property in the Helena valley in 1957. They built their family home and raised their three children, Ted, Janis, and Gary at this location.
Iris worked in a variety of jobs in Helena. She worked with the Montana state legislature, Lewis and Clark County, Broadwater School, and the Colonial Hotel. In 1977, Iris graduated from the Helena Vo-Tech and then worked as a nurse at Fort Harrison until she retired in 1994.
Iris was very dedicated to her family and friends and was especially devoted to her grandchildren. Friendship was very important to Iris. She also liked cooking, sewing, gardening, visiting with friends and family, and singing both with her family and in the choir at Our Redeemer’s Lutheran church. She loved road trips with her husband Mel. She also enjoyed motorcycle trips with Mel during her younger years and took a very memorable motorcycle vacation with him and friends to Mexico in 1976.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Mel Luehr, parents Charles and Lillian DeKrey, stepmother Grace Reed DeKrey, sisters Ellna Dekrey and Elaine Luehr, and brother John DeKrey.
Iris is survived by her loving family, sisters Lillian DeKrey, Florence Hieggelke, Dorinne DeKrey, Joyce Hasle, brother Charles DeKrey, children, Ted (Stephanie) Luehr of Kalispell, Janis (Keenan) Bingham of Gold Hill, OR, and Gary (Alice) Luehr of Helena. Iris had seven grandchildren, Nick (Sylvia) Luehr, Doug (Chelsey) Luehr, Nathan (Natasha) Luehr, Caitlin (Trent) Spratling, Natalie Luehr, Brian Luehr, and Anne Marie Luehr. Iris also had seven great-grandchildren, Dathan Luehr, Danica Luehr, Cora Luehr, Gabriel Luehr, Isaac Luehr, Corban Luehr, and Ethan Spratling.
The family would like to thank her friends, everyone at Rosetta Assisted Living, and everyone at Hunter’s Pointe for the kindness they showed Iris during the last year of her life.
Memorials can be sent to Quilting for Lutheran World Relief through Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM on Thursday, December 6th at Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church with burial to follow at the Montana State Veteran’s Cemetery. A reception will be provided at Our Redeemer’s following burial.
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S. Lee says
I want to express my sincere sympathy for the loss of your loved one and share the hope promised in the Bible.
Isaiah 33:24 promises the time when an end to sickness will become a reality. God will put an end to pain, suffering and even DEATH. God promises at Isaiah 25:8 that death will be swallowed up forever. When God’s will take place on the earth as in the heaven, God’s Kingdom will fulfill the promise in this scripture.
Jesus, who will be the king of God’s Kingdom also promised that “those in the memorial tombs will…come out.†(John 5:28, 29) and “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.†(Psalms 37:29)
Sharon Holmquist Mercado says
Lit a candle in memory of Iris Jeanette Luehr
Sharon Holmquist Mercado says
I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I really liked Iris. I was one of her teachers of Practical Nursing. She was a great LPN and I was so proud of her. She will be greatly missed. My thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time!
Sharon Holmquist Mercado says
I am so sorry for your loss. Iris was a great LPN and good person. I was one of her instructors in the Practical Nursing program. I was so proud of her. My thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time. She will be greatly missed.