Irene D. Hadsell

Irene D. Hadsell passed away Wednesday July 4, 2018 at Pleasant View surrounded by her children.

A Memorial Mass will be held for Irene at 11:30 am, Friday, July 13, 2018 at St. Columba Church, with Rev. Corey Krengiel officiating. Visitation will be from 10-11 am, prior to services, at Ottawa Funeral Home & Crematory. Burial will be at St. Columba Cemetery.

She was born April 19, 1927 in Dixon, Illinois to John and Helen (Armoska) Zitkus. She graduated from Catholic Community High School in Sterling Illinois in 1945. She moved to Chicago in 1946 where she began doing office work. There she met Donald E. (Red) Hadsell and they were married on November 4, 1950. In 1951 they were blessed with twins (son and daughter) before moving to Ottawa, where they would remain for the rest of their lives. In Ottawa their brood grew with a son added in 1953, a daughter in 1955 and a son in 1962.

Irene was a stay at home mom for many years before returning to office work at Sherwyn Williams paint store, and at J C Penney. But her true work was devotion to her family and to volunteering. She helped out as a room mother at her children’s schools, as a den mother for Cub Scouts, and as a campfire leader. Later she accumulated thousands of hours as a hospital volunteer. She also volunteered at St. Columba Church where she was a devoted member for 66 years and was a member of the Altar and Rosary Society.

Irene’s pride and joy were her children: Gregory of Ottawa, Deborah Gerding of Marengo, Gary (Judy) of Homer Glen, Diane of Janesville, WI, and Guy of Ottawa; grandchildren: Christy (Jason) Bott of Lakewood, Aaron (Heather) Gerding of Chicago, Kevin Hadsell of Portland, OR, Karen Hadsell of Burlingame, CA, and Brian (Becky) of Jacksonville, IL; and great- grandchildren Bryce Bott, Blake Bott and Declan Gerding who all survive. She is also survived by her brother Larry Zitkus of Sterling, IL and many nieces, nephews and cousins. She is preceded in death by he rhusband Don (Red) in 2015, an infant in childbirth, her parents John and Helen, her sister Frances, her brother Jim and her sister-in-law Pat Zitkus.