Sept. 15, 1921 – Dec. 17, 2015
Irene May Eberhard, 94, of Sweet Home died Dec. 17 at her son’s home in Elgin.
She was born Sept. 15, 1921 in River Sioux, Iowa to Floyd and Viola (Weldon) Harper. When she was 23 months old, her mother died and she and her sister were raised by their paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Elijah Harper, on their farm east of Pisgah, Iowa.
She graduated from Pisgah Consolidated School in 1938. In 1941 she married Kenneth L. Eberhard in Rockport, Mo., after which they lived in Iowa.
They moved to Oregon in 1943 and Mrs. Eberhard had resided in Sweet Home since 1951.
She was a member of the Community of Christ Church in Albany and a member and past president of the Albany Eagles Auxiliary, serving as a state officer for three terms. She was also a member of the V.F.W. Auxiliary and Royal Neighbors of America in Sweet Home.
In the 1960s, Mrs. Eberhard was a co-owner of the Mode O’Day dress shop and later worked as a checker in local grocery stores for over 29 years. She was also employed at Speedee Mart and worked for the Workman & Steckly Funeral Chapel for 17 years.
Mrs. Eberhard was an avid sports fan and especially loved attending her granddaughter Ronda Bennett’s, softball games, bowling and pro-bowling for many years. She also enjoyed watching NBA basketball and Mariners baseball games on TV, along with playing pinochle with the Elkettes, Scrabble with her friend of 50 years, Evelyn Junke, and crossword puzzles.
Mrs. Eberhard loved her family and was very fond of her cats.
She is survived by her son, Kenneth Floyd and daughter-in-law Diana Eberhard of Elgin; daughter Lynda Lee Holland and her friend Sam Bridenstine of North Bend; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; a great-great grandson; niece Karen Cook of Omaha, Neb.; a great niece and nephew; two uncles, Bernard and Howard Harper of Iowa; a number of cousins and a host of friends.
Mrs. Eberhard was preceded in death by her granddaughter, Karla Jo Bennett in 1980; her father in 1981; and her sister Deloma Sythoff in 1983.
A memorial service is planned for 11 a.m. on Jan. 4 at Sweet Home Funeral Chapel, with inurnment at Gilliland Cemetery.
Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling the arrangements.