Mary B. Irlbeck, age 90, of Carroll, Iowa, passed away peacefully and prayerfully surrounded by her loving family on Monday, April 22, 2024, at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll. Mary was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and friend.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m., Monday, April 29, 2024, at Holy Spirit Church – St. John Paul II Parish in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Fr. Patrick Behm. Music will be by Jane Heithoff and Sherry Loughran. Lector for the Funeral Mass will be Kelly Foley. Gift Bearers will be Mary’s great-grandchildren. Eucharistic Ministers will be Larry and Vicki Reiling. Honorary Casket Bearers will be Rosemary VandeBerg, Nicole Dentlinger, Kelsey Dentlinger, Abigail Johnson, Bekah Sonntag, Mollie Sherman, Sariah Sherman, and Clara Irlbeck. Casket Bearers will be Dave Dentlinger, Tom Irlbeck Jr., Sam Pudenz, Joel Pudenz, Christopher Pudenz, Matt Irlbeck, Cole Sherman, Brock Sherman, Liam Irlbeck, Emmett Irlbeck, and Nolan Irlbeck. Burial will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Carroll.
Visitation will be from 3-5 p.m. on Sunday at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll with a Christian Wake Service at 5 p.m. The casket will be moved to Holy Spirit Church on Monday morning where additional visitation will be from 9:30-10:15 a.m. Memorials may be left at the funeral home or the church for a later designation.
Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for Mary’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Mary was born on February 17, 1934, in Odebolt, Iowa, and was the youngest of Cornelius and Clara Dalton Bird’s 12 children. She graduated from Odebolt High School in 1951, where she enjoyed art, cheerleading, and was the drum major for the marching band. Mary then moved to Carroll and worked at Mac’s Casino Café as a waitress, where she met Alvin “Al” Irlbeck. Mary and Al were united in marriage on June 15, 1953, at St. Martin’s Catholic Church in Odebolt by Fr. Lawrence Greteman and celebrated 60 years of marriage in 2013. The couple made their home in Carroll where they raised their eight children.
Mary was a devout wife and loving homemaker. She was a member of St. Peter and St. Paul and then Holy Spirit Parish for 70 years where she was an usher and a prayer chain volunteer for many years. Mary was very committed to attending her children’s and grandchildren’s various activities, cheering them on and supporting all that they did and accomplished, “busting all of her buttons” in pride and joy.
Mary called all her family, including nieces and nephews, and friends on their birthdays every year and sang them a sweet birthday song of blessing.
She enjoyed cutting articles out of the newspaper and sending them out to people she knew and loved. She loved baking banana bread for family, friends, and neighbors. Mary had a passion for photography and took thousands and thousands of pictures of her family and friends, as well as taking pictures on many family vacations and trips.
She was a strong and faithful prayer warrior for many, keeping her candle lit 24 hours a day for all the requests and petitions. Her door was always open for a nice chat, a loving hug, showing kindness to all her visitors. “Queen” Mary had a fun sense of humor and would often show up for celebrations and holidays dressed up in fun outfits and coordinating earrings.
She loved her coffee and a cookie for breakfast and everything chocolate in-between. Mary attended a bible study every week for 20+ years. She loved and cherished her “Bible Babes,” making life- long friendships and devoted prayer partners. Mary truly demonstrated Christ’s example of unconditional love, grace, and forgiveness. She loved the Lord and lived her life for Him. As Mom was known to pray over all of us in our coming and going, she would say, “bumper to bumper, angels go with.” Right back at ya, Mom.
Mary is survived by her eight children: Alvin “Alvie” Irlbeck Jr. (Shari) of Carroll; Tom Irlbeck (Jan) of rural Carroll; Wanita Dentlinger (Duane) of Carroll; DeAnn Pudenz (Doug) of rural Carroll; Cynthia Myers (Brian) of North Liberty, Iowa; James Irlbeck of Carroll; Amy Sherman (Steve) of North Liberty, Iowa; and Dan Irlbeck (Nicole) of Erie, Colorado; nineteen grandchildren: Abigail Johnson(Tanner), Matthew Irlbeck, Tom Irlbeck Jr. (Brianne), Rosemary VandeBerg (Vince), Dave Dentlinger (Dora), Nicole Dentlinger, Kelsey Dentlinger (Joe Karstens), Samuel Pudenz (Megan), Joel Pudenz (Ashley), Christopher Pudenz (Grace), Bekah Sonntag (Quinn), Mollie Sherman (Seth Hickman), Cole Sherman, Brock Sherman, Sariah Sherman, Liam Irlbeck, Emmett Irlbeck, Clara Irlbeck, and Nolan Irlbeck; 16 great grandchildren (and one on the way): Brody, Hayden and Harper Irlbeck; Maryn and Millie VandeBerg; Daniel and Derek Dentlinger; Logan and Olivia Karstens; Theo and Eva Pudenz; Joanna, Adalyn, and Melody Pudenz; and Lewis and Ivy Sonntag; two brothers-in-law: Kenny Foley and Virgil Irlbeck: and two sisters-in-law: Roe Irlbeck and Cindy Irlbeck; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Al on February 16, 2014, her parents Cornelius and Clara, 6 brothers and 4 sisters, 10 brothers-in-law, and 7 sisters-in-law.
