Alvin "Al" Irlbeck Sr.

Alvin “Al” C. Irlbeck Sr., age 85, of Carroll, IA, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Sunday, February 16, 2014 at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll. Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 A.M. on Thursday, February 20, 2014 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Carroll with Fr. Timothy Johnson as celebrant. Friends may call at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Carroll after 3:30 P.M. on Wednesday where there will be a Rosary at 5:00 P.M. and a Christian Wake Service at 7:00 P.M. Visitation will resume at the church at 8:30 A.M. on Thursday until the time of service. Music for the Mass will be by the Holy Spirit Choir with Barb McDermott as organist. Lector for the Mass will be Kelly Foley. Gift Bearers will be Brock and Sariah Sherman, and Brody and Hayden Irlbeck. Eucharistic Ministers will be Larry and Vicki Reiling and Nicole Dentlinger. Mass servers will be Vanessa Foley, Megan Sturm and Alexis Davis. Casket bearers will be David Dentlinger, Tom Irlbeck Jr., Samuel Pudenz, Joel Pudenz, Christopher Pudenz, Matthew Irlbeck, and Cole Sherman. Honorary casket bearers will be Rosemary Irlbeck, Nicole Dentlinger, Kelsey Dentlinger, Abigail Irlbeck, Bekah Pudenz, and Mollie Sherman. Burial will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Carroll with military honors conducted by Maurice Dunn Post of the American Legion. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in Al’s name and memorials may be left at the church. Born on May 17, 1928 near Arcadia, IA, he was the son of Leo and Marie (Soyer) Irlbeck. He was raised on a farm near Arcadia until he was 9 years old when his family moved to Churdan. The family moved back to Arcadia in 1941 where he attended country school. He farmed with his father until he was 18 years old and then worked for Marcus Repair in Breda. In 1950, he was drafted into the United States Army and completed basic training in Ft. Leonard Wood, MO. He fought in the Korean Conflict, where he was wounded and awarded the Purple Heart. Al returned to Ft. Carson in Colorado Springs, CO to serve the remainder of his enlistment. He was married to Mary Bird on June 15, 1953 at St. Martin’s Catholic Church in Odebolt by Fr. Lawrence Greteman. The couple made their home in Carroll where they raised their eight children. Following his military career he worked as a tank wagon operator for Beiter Oil Company in Carroll which later became Community Oil Company. He retired in 1990 and continued to work part-time on the farm of his daughter and son-in-law, DeAnn and Doug Pudenz. Al was a member of Holy Spirit Parish in Carroll where he was a member of the Men’s Club. He was a 61 year member of Maurice Dunn Post of the Carroll American Legion of which he had served as Commander. He was also a member of the Carroll VFW. Al enjoyed fishing, watching westerns and baseball, going on picnics, having family grill outs on Sunday, playing guitar, traveling, listening to music, driving tractors, riding his bike, attending his grandchildrens’ activities, and spending time with his family and many good friends. Al “Phonse”, as he was affectionately known by many, always had a good story and loved to tell jokes. Al is survived by his wife Mary, and eight children: Alvin “Alvie” Irlbeck Jr. and his wife Shari of Carroll; Tom Irlbeck Sr. and his wife Janice of rural Carroll; Wanita Dentlinger and her husband Duane of Carroll; DeAnn Pudenz and her husband Doug of rural Carroll; Cynthia Myers and her husband Brian of North Liberty, IA; James Irlbeck of Houston, TX; Amy Sherman and her husband Steve of North Liberty, IA; and Dan Irlbeck and his wife Nicole of Louisville, CO; seventeen grandchildren: Abigail Irlbeck, Matthew Irlbeck, Tom Irlbeck Jr. and his wife Brianne, Rosemary Irlbeck, David Dentlinger, Nicole Dentlinger, Kelsey Dentlinger and her special friend Joe Karstens, Samuel Pudenz and his wife Megan, Joel Pudenz and his fiancé Ashley, Christopher Pudenz, Bekah Pudenz, Mollie Sherman, Cole Sherman, Brock Sherman, Sariah Sherman, and Liam and Emmett Irlbeck; three great grandchildren: Brody, Hayden, and Harper Irlbeck; two brothers: Vince Irlbeck of Carroll and Virgil Irlbeck and his wife Rosetta “Roe” of Maple River; a sister Marilyn “Tots” Foley and her husband Kenny of Carroll; two sisters-in-law: Cindy Irlbeck of Carroll and Norma Yankovich of Cañon City, CO; brother-in-law Lawrence “Steffy” Steffes; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Al was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters: Rosemary Roth and Darlene Steffes; two brothers: Dennis and Leon Irlbeck; sister-in-law Virgine Irlbeck; and brother-in-law Francis Roth.