Obituary of Irene Courtright

Longtime Stratton, Colorado resident Edna Irene Courtright passed away on August 3, 2009 at her home in Stratton. She was 81 years old. Irene was born on July 27, 1928 to Joseph and Sybil Burian on a farm north of Vona, Colorado. She started her career at the age of 14, cooking and cleaning for Dr. Hewett. Ironically, she was the first baby he delivered. Irene attended school and graduated from the Vona School District in 1946. She married William Dale Courtright on August 8, 1949, moving for the first time to Stratton in 1950. Dale and Irene ran the Oasis Station and Café in Vona, Colorado for approximately two and a half years. They returned to Stratton in 1957 and moved into the home that she currently lived in. They raised 5 children who attended Stratton Schools. Irene started cooking at the Stratton High School in the spring of 1966, after many years of cooking at the Brand Inn Iron. She really liked the students, the working hours, and the fact that she had summers and holidays off with her family. Through the years she worked with Doris Peters, Winifred Ingram, Dorothy Flageolle and numerous substitutes. Irene appreciated all the experiences she had while working for the Stratton School District. Through the years, Irene catered for the Lions Club dinners and several weddings. After fifteen years of service at the Stratton schools, she started the Stratton Donut Shop with her daughters, which they operated for 7 years. Recently, Irene was active with the Stratton Senior Citizens and the Church of God. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband William Dale, daughter Cheryl Richards, a son-in-law Steve Conrads and a great granddaughter Alaina Richards. She is survived by her daughters Debby Conrads, Becky Gurley and her husband Don, and Donna Hake and her husband Jim all of Stratton; one son Bill Courtright and his wife Susan of Wichita, KS, eleven grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren. She is also survived by one brother Tom Burian and his wife Nadine of Vona, and three sisters Joan Rouse and her husband Delmar of Burlington, Hazel Card and her husband Steve of Strasburg, Colorado and Diane Giles and her husband Chuck of Midwest City, Oklahoma. Memorial services for Irene were held on Saturday, August 8, 2009 at 10:30 AM at the Stratton Church of God in Stratton with Pastor Michael Mattocks officiating. Inurnment will take place at a later date in the Vona Cemetery, Vona, Colorado. Memorials may be made in Irene’s name to the Stratton Church of God and may be left at or sent to the Colorado East Bank and Trust in Stratton.