Irene E. Sewell

Irene E. Sewell was born on April 1, 1923 in Plainville, Kansas, the daughter of Clinton L. and Freeda I. Gilbert Burger. She died on Wednesday, January 3, 2018 at her home in Beloit, Kansas at the age of 94 years, 9 months, and 2 days.

Irene married Sam Sewell on June 10, 1939, and lived with him until his death on September 15, 2000. She was an indispensable partner in their life together, including doing the bookkeeping for Sewell's Machine Shop from its opening in 1965 and providing a home cooked lunch every day for her husband and eventually her son after he joined the family business. They loved their hard-won leisure time, trailering around Kansas and Colorado to camp and fish, and venturing as far as Oregon and Washington D.C. to visit family. Her favorite hometown activities included picking fresh cherries and apricots to make pies and preserves, fishing in Chautauqua Park with her aunt Eurilla "Red" Brooks, and comparing notes with her mother on their daytime "stories". Every meal she prepared had a dessert course, and her care packages of Christmas cookies and candy were much appreciated by her grandchildren. She loved playing with children. She especially treasured her grandchildren, her nieces and nephews, and their children.

In addition to her husband Sam, she was preceded in death by her parents, and her brother Art Burger.

Irene is survived by her son Clint Sewell and wife Gayle of Beloit, brother Clinton "Junior" Burger and wife Dorothy of Belleville, two grandchildren, Jacob and wife Alana of Lawrence and Krystal and husband Tim of Montpelier, Vermont, two great grandchildren, Samuel and Lydia Sewell, very special friends, Marcy Kee and Bobbie Heinz, and a host of nieces and nephews.