Irene Agnes Yewell

November 20, 1924 - February 18, 2020
Irene's family are greatly saddened to announce her passing on 18 February 2020, at Mission Memorial Hospital, at age ninety-five, after a short illness.
Irene was born in Edmonton, Alberta, on 20 November 1924 to Charles (a CNR railwayman) and Rose (an English war bride) Lawson. After graduating high school in Langley, BC, she joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, women's division, in 1943. She was stationed in Victoria, BC, working in radar operations. During this time, she met her future husband, Don Yewell, who was in the Canadian army.
After marrying in 1946, they moved to Eagle Hill, Alberta, where they farmed until 1962. Though they were hailed out a few times, they enjoyed some happy, sunny days skating on the Little Red Deer River, country picnics, and many get togethers with family and friends. Oldest son, Rod, was born in 1947 and daughter, Kathy, was born in 1962. In 1964, the family moved to Mt. Lehman where youngest son, Wes, was born in 1965. After three years of renting an old farm house, they found their dream site for the hilltop family home they would build, at the east end of Hallert Road. There Irene enjoyed some prosperous years gardening, baking bread, raising her younger children, happily welcoming her grandchildren; Ryan, Marianne, Carolyn, and Peter (mother Alice) and cooking some wonderful family dinners. She also worked as a teacher's assistant in the English as a Second Language program at Fraser Valley College.
Husband, Don, passed away in 2005. During her later years, she was a member of Mission's Lifetime Learning (proudly wearing her "Fit and Feisty" T-shirt at exercise class) and appeared on stage with Opening Nite Theatre. Irene was a kind-hearted and caring friend, (always willing to help out) and a thoughtful listener who will be dearly missed by many.
She is survived by her aforementioned three children and their spouses (Linda, Paul, and Rose), four grandchildren and their spouses (Saida, Eliot, and Steve), and her seven great grandchildren; Anna, Laura, Ellie, Isaac, Audrey, Felix, and Alicen, with another due to arrive in April.
The family would like to thank Dr. Manocha and the compassionate staff at Mission Memorial Hospital and, especially, the caring staff at Carrington House Assisted Living, where she spent her last four years.
A celebration of Irene's life will be held on Saturday, May 30, at 2:00 pm at Cedar Valley Mennonite Church, 32860 Cherry Ave., Mission. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the charity of your choice.