Bertha Irene Shane

Bertha Irene Shane passed away on September 30, 2009 at the age of 86. She was born on March 14, 1923 to Phylinda Laird Berggren and Arthur Berggren. They lived on a farm in Riley County Kansas in Grant Neighborhood. Her childhood was spent living on a farm in the Grant Neighborhood and later the Seven Mile District. Many happy times were spent with her siblings, sisters Dorothy and Viola and brother, Alvin (Bud). Irene, as she was always known, would talk about attending Sunday school, attending barn dances with her family, playing ball in the pasture and card parties in the winter. She graduated from Riley High School in 1940.
Her love of music, lead her to play the piano. Irene spent most of her life time playing the piano. One of her truly amazing talents was playing the piano by ear. She could hear a piece of music and go to the piano and play it. She loved to sit down and play anywhere there was a piano available. Later in life she joined the Troubadours at the Senior Center and sang with them on many occasions.
She met Walter Shane in 1939 while still in high school. They were married on July 5, 1941. They started their married life living in his parent's basement apartment in Junction City. While living there Warren Lee was born. After his birth they bought a house in Junction City. While living in Junction City four more children were born: Marilyn Marie, Larry James, Linda Jean, and Russell Allen. It was after Russell was born that they moved to the country to the Humboldt Community, back of Humboldt School. This farm was the original Henry Jackson Shane homestead.
It was here that Irene's garden skills became apparent. She did a lot of canning from the vegetable garden that everyone helped to hoe. Bread baking was another one of Irene's specialties. She would put a pot of beans on the stove and the bread rising in the oven to bake. There were a lot of family gatherings during this time. Whether it was a birthday, holiday or an extra family member staying with them everyone would help do chores and cook the meals. With their chickens, large garden and milk cows about the only things they had to buy from the store were flour, coffee and sugar. The family attended Clarks Creek Lutheran Church known as St. Paul's Lutheran Church. It was here that the children were baptized and confirmed.
During the spring of 1956 they moved to the Jim Shane home place on McDowell Creek. During this time the children went to school at Tully School. Since they lived more than 3 miles from Tully School Irene was paid 5 cents a mile to take the children to and from school. With growing kids and hungry mouths to fill Irene did a lot of baking. She would use around 75 pounds of flour a month making bread, cinnamon rolls, coffee cake, cookies, pies and a lot of sour cream cakes.
In 1960, Irene used her cooking and baking skills in the kitchen of the Good Samaritan Home. She decided cooking at the home was much better than working in the hay field.
In 1962 they sold their farm and moved back to town. Since both Irene and Walter were working in town, they felt it would be easier if they lived in town. Due to her husband's health, in 1973 they moved to Arizona and settled in Tucson. In Tucson Irene worked for a Sizzler restaurant for awhile. In 1985 they moved to San Bernardino, California to be close to their daughter, Linda and husband Bill Cooksley.
After her husband's death in 1992 Irene moved back to Junction City, Kansas to be close to family. She maintained her home in the Bicentennial Manor until her health started to fail. She lived at Sterling House and later at Good Samaritan until it closed. Irene had just moved to Valley View Nursing Home one week before her passing.
She was preceded in death by her husband Walter, one son Larry, her parents Phylinda and Arthur Berggren, one sister Dorothy Kerr, and one brother Alvin (Bud) Berggren.
She is survived by her children: Warren Shane and Marilyn Shelton of Junction City, Linda Cooksley of Topeka, Kansas and Russell Shane of Denver, Colorado. She is also survived by one sister Viola Boyce of Wamego, 12 Grandchildren, 20 Great Grandchildren and 3 Great Great Grandchildren.
Services are planned for Eleven O'clock, Saturday October 10, 2009 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Junction City, Kansas. A memorial to the American Cancer Society has been set up with Penwell-Gabel (Johnson Chapel) in charge.