Irene V. Harkins Vogel, 83, died October 19, 2015 at the Keokuk County Health Center in Sigourney, Iowa. She was born October 9, 1932 to Paul and Marjorie Messerschmitt Harkins at the Ottumwa Hospital. Irene attended country schools, in kindergarten she rode her horse to the rural Ben Butler School in Highland Center. The family moved to the family farm at Rose Hill, there she attended the "Little Red Schoolhouse" for the first grade. They moved to Keswick to a rural farm in the fifth grade and she walked into town to school. During her 8th grade year Irene's family moved into Keswick. Irene graduated from Keswick High School in 1950 as valedictorian. Irene's fondest memories are of the Keswick Kittens basketball team making two trips to the State tournament in 1948 and 1949. Those teams were winners of several district and sectional championships games along the tournament trail. The Keswick Kittens brought home the 3rd place trophy in 1949.
On November 15, 1950 she married Stanley Vogel in Harper, Iowa. They lived on the family farm in Harper until moving to Keswick in 1952. Irene was a homemaker and farm wife, they resided in Keswick for 17 years until moving to their current family farm in 1970 near Sigourney. She enjoyed her yard and her flowers. She loved the Iowa Hawkeyes and rarely missed a sporting event of her children's and grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, brother-in- law's Elvin Fisher, Don Oliver and Joseph Vogel, sister-in-law Marie Vogel.
Irene is survived by her husband Stanley, three children Leon (Cynthia) Vogel of Bloomfield, Linda (Larry) Northup of Sigourney, Rhonda (Brian) Roberts of Bloomfield. Seven grandchildren Todd and Troy Vogel both of Bloomfield, Kylie Weber of Kalona, Kellie Northup of Kalona, Keaton Northup of Albia, Preston Roberts of Fairfield, and Austin Roberts of Bloomfield. Five great-grandchildren Quincey Vogel, Grayci and Londyn Vogel, Brady and Brooks Weber, her sister Ruth (Wilford) Seaba of Sigourney, two sister-in-law's Dorothy Fisher of Sigourney, Marie Oliver of Keswick, and bother-in-law Gordon Vogel of Kentucky.
Funeral Service: Friday 10:00 A.M. Holm Funeral Home,
Visitation: Thursday 4:00-8:00 P.M
Memorial: In Lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Sigourney Athletics or Davis County Baseball.
Visits: 3
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