Irene Abelseth was born to Ole and Phoebe (Nelson) Eggebo on October 27, 1921, in Hettinger, ND, and passed away on April 16th, 2025, at age 103. She was raised on a sheep ranch near Glendo, SD, near the South Grand River. During her first two years of grade school, she stayed with Ole Abelseth’s family. From her 3rd through 8th grades, she and her siblings attended Glendo School. They walked or rode a horse to school until she learned to drive their Model A Ford to school at the age of ten.
Irene was the oldest of five children. In March of 1935, when she was 13 and the youngest was nine months, their mother died. That summer was extremely hard on the children as they cooked for the sheep-shearing crew and survived two terrible storms while their dad was away.
Irene attended her first two years of High School in Hettinger, North Dakota, her third year in Dassel, Minnesota, and finished her senior year back in Hettinger. After graduation, she attended the Minneapolis School of Business and worked in Minneapolis before returning home to South Dakota to marry Harold Abelseth. They were married on December 28, 1942. Six children were born to this union: Bradley Kent was born while they lived at Ole Abelseth’s, Gloria Kaye and Donna Mae when they lived at Reeder, and in the winter of 1949, Rodney Harold was born. Jean Irene and Richard Ole were both born when they lived at Camp Crook, SD.
Irene’s memories of the Dirty Thirties left a deep impression on her. She remembers the drought, swarms of grasshoppers, and the depression that drove down farm prices. She learned to do with little and make the most of everything she had.
Irene was a great cook. She learned to bake bread from her mother, and after she died the girls baked several loaves of bread a week for their family. Later on, when Irene and Harold lived at Craybank Ranch, south of Strool, SD, she cooked and baked for the owner and his staff. Shortly after leaving Craybank, Irene was employed at a restaurant in Prairie City. Within a year, the family moved to Camp Crook, SD. Irene worked at the Townsend Café and later worked for Father Don Murray at Sky Ranch for Boys. Irene was the one they were looking for, as she was a great cook and had a mothering touch that the boys needed. Irene graduated from cook to secretary for Father Murray, where she could utilize her business skills from college. During the seventeen years she worked at Sky Ranch, she grew very fond of the boys and had many stories to tell about them. In 1980, Harold and Irene moved to Rapid City, SD, where she took a managerial role for a Mini Mart Store and worked there until retirement.
Irene moved around from 2012 until spring 2016 and lived with her daughters, Donna Skulborstad, Jean Metzger, and Gloria Davis. In June 2016, she went into Sturgis Long Term Care Center. Her sister Esther Palmer was already there, waiting for her to come and be with her. This was a great blessing for both of them, as the staff arranged to place them in the same room. She lived out her days there.
Preceded in death were her parents, Ole and Phoebe Eggebo, husband Harold Abelseth, three sisters: Esther Palmer, Lila Vanslooten, Ruthie Palmer, and two brothers: Melvin and Johnny Eggebo.
Survivors include: Six children Bradley (Linda) Abelseth, Gloria (Maurice) Davis, Donna (Jim) Pope, Butch (Shirley) Abelseth, Richard (Cheryl) Abelseth, and Jean (Gary) Metzger, plus numerous grandchildren, numbering into the fifth generation.
She will be remembered for her love of family, often saying, “I have the best children in the world.” She loved the Lord and prayed continually for her children.
In lieu of flowers the family asks you to consider a donation to the Victory Chapel Youth Group. Thank you.
Irene’s visitation will start at 9am on Tuesday, April 22, at Kirk Funeral Home, followed by her funeral at 11:00am. Burial will take place at Pine Lawn, followed by a luncheon about 1:00pm at Victory Chapel (2405 N Maple Ave, Rapid City, SD).
