Irene D. Feld

Irene D. Feld, 65, of Coupeville, died March 10, 2007, in Coupeville. She was born in Bismark, N.D., on Jan. 24, 1942, to Andrew Leo and Magdalen Mary (Thomas) Benfiet. The family moved to Yakima, Wash., when Irene was very young, where she grew up and attended catholic school. After receiving her G.E.D. she went to beauty school and became a hairdresser.

She later moved to California, where she met David Warren Feld. They were married in Reno, Nev., on June 17, 1972. During this time she primarily worked as a cashier and served as president of Little League. In 1986, they moved to Vancouver, Wash., to continue raising their family. David passed away in 1995. She then returned to live in Yakima before making her home in Oak Harbor, then finally Coupeville.

Irene was a member of Christ the King Church in Oak Harbor, and also belonged to the knitting circle at the Senior Center. She loved kids, and enjoyed crafts, especially quilting and crocheting blankets for the newborns.

She is survived by her children, Michael Raymond Smith of Lebanon, Ore., Lisa Marie Riley (and her husband Kevin) of Beaverton, Ore., James Howard Smith (and his wife Sarah) of Oak Harbor, and Shelley Rene Beehler (and her husband Travis) of Vancouver, Wash.; three grandchildren, Keaton, Mason and Evan; her sisters, Shirley Ogden of Mount Vernon, Sally Elliott of Everett, Helen Wilmuth of Yakima, Loretta Cawley of Yakima, and Barbara Jones of Zillah; her brothers, James Benfiet of Yakima, Raymond Benfiet of New Zealand, and Richard Benfiet of Moxee, Wash.; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, March 16, at Burley Funeral Chapel in Oak Harbor. The family suggests memorial contributions may be made in her name to Skagit Valley Kidney Center.