OBITUARY Irene O Bartels September 9, 1923 – December 8, 2018 Irene Otillie Bartels (Naumann), passed away Saturday, December 8, 2018 in New Braunfels, Texas. Irene was born September 9, 1923 to Julius and Frieda Naumann in Guadalupe County, Texas. She grew up in Seguin, TX and spent her teenage and early adulthood years, cleaning houses, baby sitting and then as a car-hop.
It was at the Orange Bowl, a drive-in, in Seguin, that she met the love of her life, Barney. They were married in 1941, residing the majority of their 63-year marriage in the same house in New Braunfels, also where she lived for 71 years of her life. Affectionately known as “Omie” to her grandchildren, or “Kleine-Omie” to her great-grandchildren, she thoroughly enjoyed baking, quilting, gardening, bowling, teaching Sunday school and was an avid Bingo player.
Her love of baking and crafts can be seen by the numerous trophies and ribbons she won throughout her life from entering them in the Comal County Fair. She was especially known for her vast spoon collection (over 500 unique spoons from all over the globe) and her yo-yo quilts, one of which she was still working on through the last month of her life. Irene was well known in the New Braunfels community and was a lifelong member of the VFW Post 7110, Fraternal Order of the Eagles Auxillary 2999 (52 years) and Herman Sons – Kypfer-Salge Lodge #106 (70 years).
She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Barney “Opie” Bartels; parents, Julius and Frieda Naumann; sister, Pearl Wiley; brother, Julius “Sonny” Naumann, Jr.; and special friend later in life, Raymond Salge. She is survived by her sons, Bobby Bartels and girlfriend, Beverly Bretzke; Rodney “Petey” Bartels and wife Sharon; grandson, Jeremy Bartels and wife Jenny; granddaughter, Jennifer Bartels; and great-grandchildren, Logan and Amelia Bartels. A Public Viewing will be held at Zoeller Funeral Home, 615 Landa Street, New Braunfels, Texas on Wednesday, December 12, 2018 from 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM with the family present from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM.
The Memorial Service is scheduled for Thursday, December 13, 2018 at 2:00 PM at Zoeller Funeral Home followed by a Graveside Service at Comal Cemetery, 301 Peace Ave, New Braunfels, Texas. The family would like to recognize the following groups of people for helping Irene, especially during the last few months. We’d like to thank the staff from Carter home health care who came by for weekly health and physical therapy needs.
Special thanks to her doctors, Dr. Madison Lowry and Dr. Yasser Farra. Lastly, we will be forever grateful to the nurses, social worker and chaplain from Hope Hospice as well as the ‘angels’ from Vista Village who made the last 10 months a comfortable experience and watched over Irene around the clock the last few days of her life. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation be made in Irene Bartels’s name to Hope Hospice New Braunfels.
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