Irene M. Lutz February 22, 1926 – January 09, 2019 Share this obituary Send Flowers View/Sign Guest Book| Send Private Condolences| Send Sympathy Card Lutz Irene Mary (nee Vogel) Lutz died at Homestead Village in Lancaster, PA on January 9, 2019. She was born on February 22, 1926 to Charles and Florence (nee Howe) Vogel in the Kensington section of Philadelphia, where she grew up with her older brother Charles. Irene graduated from Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls in 1944.
She met her beloved future husband Charles at Wagner’s Ballroom on his twentieth birthday and they married on November 3, 1945. Irene and Charles celebrated their seventy-first wedding anniversary before Charles died on January 28, 2017. Irene and Charles were married in Ascension of Our Lord Church and lived in that Kensington parish for the first twenty years of their marriage.
Their four children Charles (Marina), Marianne (Michael) Kelly, Geraldine (Martin) Keane, and James (Nora) were born during that time. They subsequently lived in Oxford Circle, New Holland, and Rhawnhurst. Irene’s work experience included retail sales at Dobbin’s in Kensington, secretarial work in the art department at John Wanamaker Department Store in downtown Philadelphia and secretary of the Burn Foundation, Philadelphia.
While living in New Holland she worked in the dessert department of Shady Maple. In addition to her children Irene is survived by nine grandchildren: Daniel (Nicole) Keane, Lauren Cruttenden nee Keane, Deirdre (Conor) Loughridge nee Kelly, Rachel (David) Unger nee Kelly, Bridget (Ryan) Cifelli nee Lutz, Laura (Stephen) Mulligan nee Lutz, Matthew Lutz, John Lutz, and Laurella Lutz. There are eight great grandchildren: Madeline and Andrew Keane, Makenna and Brady Cruttenden, Noah and Blaise Loughridge, and Patrick and Colleen Mulligan.
Irene was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was a Cub Scout and Girl Scout leader at Ascension Parish and made ballet costumes for the dance class at McVeigh Recreation Center when her children were young. She had a great gift for long-term and new friendships and shared her pastimes of sewing, crocheting, doll collecting, baking, and scrabble playing with many friends, whom she outlived, as well as with family.
She was a nurturer, always ready to offer assistance when needed. She enjoyed her membership in senior citizen groups at Resurrection of Our Lord parish, where Charles was ton for twenty years, and in Rhawnhurst where she helped with transportation and food preparation. She and Charles spent many happy vacations in Wildwood and Ocean City, N.J., and enjoyed traveling together especially to Hawaii, along with road trips to various places in the United States and Canada.
One of her fondest travel memories was to New Orleans, where she had the unexpected pleasure of a front row seat for a live performance by her favorite singer, Rosemary Clooney. She managed several serious medical problems in recent years with aplomb and acceptance, often offering her signature phrase “God willing”. Irene was a resident at Homestead Village in Lancaster, PA since 2017.
The family is grateful for all of the special caregivers who helped Irene with kindness and compassion during her final two years of life. Relatives and friends are invited to call Tuesday, January 15th 10-10:45 AM Resurrection of Our Lord Church 2000 Shelmire Avenue followed by Funeral Mass 11 AM. Inurnment Resurrection Cemetery.
Arrangements by: VISCONTO FUNERAL HOME, INC. www. viscontofuneralhome.com In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Columban Fathers, P.O. Box 10, 1902 N. Calhoun Street, St. Columban, NE, 68056 or Homestead Village Endowment Fund, 1800 Village Circle, Lancaster, PA, 17603.
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