Irene Elizabeth O'Meara

Irene E. O’Meara, 95, of Grand Island, formerly of St. Libory, died Monday, Nov. 23, 2009, at Riverside Lodge in Grand Island. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Libory’s Catholic Church in St. Libory. The Revs. Sidney Bruggeman and Mark Maresh will officiate. Burial will be in the parish cemetery. Visitation will be Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the church, with a 7 p.m. vigil service. Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is in charge of arrangements. Mrs. O’Meara was born on March 23, 1914, on a farm south of Ravenna in Buffalo County, the daughter of George and Bertha (Kutz) Vogt. She was preceded in death by her husband, John C. O’Meara. She is survived by one son, John Dennis O’Meara of Grand Island; one daughter and son-in-law, Judy and DeWayne VanWey of Omaha; and one brother and sister-in-law, Arthur and Birdean Vogt of Ravenna. She also leaves to cherish her memory, three grandchildren and their spouses, Dan and Melissa Brondel of Castle Rock, CO, Lauri and Brett Edwards of Jefferson City, MO and Cassie VanWey of Tampa, FL; and two great-grandchildren, Jayden Edwards and Hailey Brondel. Irene grew up on the family farm and attended school at Buffalo County rural school District No. 107. Upon completing her education she worked as a waitress in Ravenna. She was united in marriage to John C. O’Meara on Oct. 15, 1941, at Kearney. While John served in the military, Irene worked as a waitress in Kearney. They continued to live in Kearney until 1950, when they moved to Aurora. In 1960, they moved to St. Libory where Irene volunteered at St. Libory’s Parochial School and later at Grand Island Central Catholic. In 1998, the couple moved to Grand Island. John died on May 22, 2002 and Irene continued to live in her home until moving to Riverside Lodge in January 2008. She was a member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Grand Island and a former member of St. Libory’s Catholic Church, where she was a longtime member of the Council of Catholic Women. Irene loved crocheting, quilting, gardening and baking. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Ethel Prochaska; four brothers, George, Charles, Harold and Harry Vogt; and one step-brother, William Vogt. Memorials are suggested to the Parish Nurse Ministry at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church.