Obituaries

Irene L. (VerHagen) Wittmann, 97, formally of Eau Claire, WI, passed away on Friday, December 22, 2023, at Wisconsin Veterans Home of Chippewa Falls, WI.

Irene was born October 22, 1926, to Henry and Rosalia (Leibreich) VerHagen.

Irene was born the seventh child of eleven children and the last surviving member of the family. Irene graduated from Eau Claire Senior High and was the first to graduate from her family. After school she started work at Wisconsin Telephone Company. She married Eugene F. Whittman on September 4, 1946, at St. Patrick’s Parish in Eau Claire, WI. Irene loved to sing and joined her church choir along with her husband Gene.

Irene is survived by her three daughters, Kay (Ronald) Janssen of Holcombe, WI, Mary (Jim) Mallett of Eau Claire, WI, and Gerri (John Pidgeon) of Sevierville, TN; eight grandchildren, Joelle (Steve) Astrup, Jan (Troy) Jiskra, Brett (Cathy) Mallett, Tricia Mallett, Leslie (Norm) Wright, Becky (Jeff) Ellis, Ryan (Tara) Pidgeon, and Sarah Howard; seventeen great-grandchildren, Jordan (Sarah) Jiskra, Cole Astrup, Jenna Jiskra, Tyler J. Mallett, Ashlynn Mallett, Brayden Mallett, William Ellis, Witt Ellis, Nathan Ellis, Blake Pidgeon, Dustin Pidgeon, Alex Pidgeon, Layla Hamilton, Dalton Howard, Nolan Howard, and Tyler and Madelyn Wright; five great-great-grandchildren, Camden, Sawyer, Landon, Brynlee, and Scarlett; and nieces and nephews.

Irene is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Gene on January 9, 2020; her first born great grandson, Cory Astrup on March 22, 2017; five sisters, Joyce VerHagen, Eleanor (Al) Ausman, Anna (Stewart) Le Barron, Rosemary (Lloyd) Nichols, and Dorothy (George) Pfielsticker; five brothers, Jack (Agnes), Hank (Elsie), Leo (Marvis), Raymond (Carmen), and Gerald (Mary); nieces, Patricia (Ken) Barrington, Jacalyn (Bill) Marr, and Carol Nichols.

A private service will be held with a later burial.