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Irene Garton, 77, of Bourbonnais, Ill., passed away at Provena Heritage Village Dec. 7, 2009. She was born Oct. 28, 1932 in Muncie, Ind. the daughter of Joseph R. and Elizabeth Jane (Jackson) Harris.
Irene met her soul mate and husband, Frank Garton, in 1950, while still in school, and they were married Jan. 7, 1956 at Muncie Southside Church of the Nazarene. She attended Ball State University and after her children were born she finished her college degree in elementary education at Southern Illinois University. She was devoted to her family and was a lifetime lover and encourager of children and adults alike.
Together with her husband they were members of College Church of the Nazarene in Bourbonnais and ministered to several churches including Central Christian Church in Bourbonnais, Ill., Three Rivers Church of the Nazarene, Ossian Church of the Nazarene in Indiana, Wellston Church of the Nazarene in Missouri and Sugar Grove Church of the Nazarene in Indiana. Irene was an educator at the Kankakee Area Career Center in the early childhood development department for over 20 years, the director of the daycare at the YWCA in Bourbonnais, Ill. and during her time at Three Rivers Church of the Nazarene, she was the director of the Little People’s Place Daycare.
Mrs. Garton is survived by her husband, Rev. Dr. Franklin Garton of Bourbonnais, Ill.; daughters Mary Garton-Langellier (Sidney) of Beach Park, Ill. and Joy Garton Krueger (Warren) of West Lafayette, Ind.; grandchildren Lisa Harrington (T.J.) of Minneapolis, Minn., Lindsay Endress (Troy) of Heyworth, Ill. and Aubrianna Krueger of West Lafayette, Ind.; great-grandchildren Izabelle Endress, Collin Harrington and Tate Endress; sisters, Beulah Anderson of Muncie, Ind., Ruby Kennedy of Muncie, Ind. and Ivonne Grubbs of Muncie, Ind.; brother-in-law, Harold Garton (Sharen) of Muncie, Ind.; numerous nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents; mother- and father-in-law, Jack and Mary (Cook) Garton; brothers-in-law, Gordon Anderson and Vernal Grubbs; niece, Penny Garton.
Visitation will be at Central Christian Church Thursday, Dec. 10, from 4-7 p.m. with a 7 p.m. hymn sing, and Friday, Dec. 11, at College Church of the Nazarene from 9-10 a.m. Visitation will also be held at the Garden View Funeral Home (10501 N. State Rd 3, Muncie, IN 47303) Monday, Dec. 14, from 11 a.m. — 1 p.m.
Celebration of Life services will be held Friday, Dec. 11, at College Church of the Nazarene at 10 a.m. Burial will be Monday, Dec. 14 at the Gardens of Memory Cemetery in Muncie, Ind.
Memorials may be made to Rev. Dr. Franklin and Irene Garton Scholarship at Olivet Nazarene University, Provena Heritage Village, Central Christian Church or College Church of the Nazarene.
