Irene Diehl, late of Marcelin, passed away peacefully at the Wheatland Lodge in Leask, SK on April 24, 2012 at 83 years of age. Irene was born on November 23, 1928 in Marcelin, SK to Herve & Antoinette (Robin) Dagenais. Irene married the love of her life, Willie Diehl, on October 1, 1946. After working together on a farm in Eston, SK and moving to Kimberly, B.C. where Willie worked for the Cominco Mine, they returned to farm in the Aldina district near Marcelin in 1951. They worked at the Horner farm and then next at the St. Joseph Home east of Marcelin until 1958, when they bought their first home in the village of Marcelin. In 1968, at the age of 40, Irene decided to take a hairdressing course in Saskatoon, a late-in-life career that lasted over 30 years. She loved the people she worked with but her family was always her greatest joy. She was an active member of the CWL and Ladies of St. Anne and served terms on Parish Council and the Blaine Lake School Unit. Irene was also instrumental in raising funds for the maintenance of the Marcelin cemetery since so many gravesites no longer had someone nearby to care for them. In 1998 she was a proud recipient of a Saskatchewan “Volunteer of the Year” award. Irene is survived by her loving husband: Willie; seven children: Louise (Murray Darou), Tisa (Gary Haesch), Glenna (Dan Ference) and Tracy (Lau Nguyen); Robert (Judy Mansell), Christopher (Tanya Kraft) and Lisa (Ira Roness); Brian (Pat Tucker) Kolan and Kelly; Phyllis (Jim Fergusson) Scott and Eric; Marlene (Don Park), Deena (Daniel Simair), Kyla (Robbie Golightly) and Robert; Judie (Craig Goplen), Katie, Michael and Laura; Christine (Lionel Donohue), Sarah (Andrew Adshade), K.C. and Devon; and her 16 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her dear sister Theresa (Ernest Coates) and her brother Maurice (Angeline) and her brothers and sisters-in-law, Irene Dagenais, Clarence and Rita Diehl, Don Paterson, Bill Haleschuk and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, three brothers: Emile, Ernest and Raymond; three sisters: Florence (Pelletier), Cecile (Pelletier) and Lucy (Willick); and three infant great-grandchildren: twins Annika and Grace Nguyen and Phynn Nguyen. Visitation to take place at Shellbrook Funeral Home on Friday, April 27 at 2:00 p.m. Funeral Mass to be celebrated by Fr. Tru Le at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Parish, Marcelin, SK on Saturday, April 28 at 2:00 p.m. Interment of her ashes will take place at Marcelin Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Marcelin Cemetery Fund. Arrangements are in care of Northern Funeral Service - Shellbrook Funeral Home. Brian & Bev Stobbs, Funeral Directors. 306-747-2494 www.northernfuneralservice.ca