Irene Marion Hankey

Irene Marion Hankey, age 95 of Park River, North Dakota, died on All Souls Day, November 2, 2020, at the Good Samaritan Center in Park River, North Dakota.

Irene Bena Hankey was born October 9, 1925, at Grafton, North Dakota. She was the oldest of five daughters born to John F. Bena and Blanche (Jarus) Bena. Irene grew up and attended schools in Park River, graduating from Walsh County Agricultural and Training School (now Park River High School), in 1943. She was employed in Chicago, Illinois, as a secretary at Globe Oil and Refining Company and later as a secretary at the Chicago Crime Commission. Due to the illness of her mother, she returned to Park River in 1948 and was employed as a bookkeeper at Park River Potato Company until 1951. On June 20, 1951 she was united in marriage to Leonard R. “Bart” Hankey at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Park River. Following their marriage they farmed in Red Lake Falls, Minnesota, and returned to Park River in 1958 to continue farming.

In September 1973, Irene began working at the Walsh County Press in Advertising, Layout and Design. On January 26, 1975, Irene and Drue Wright co-chaired a Benefit Talent Show for the Good Samaritan Center in Park River. Over 700 people attended the standing-room-only benefit that raised over $2300 for the Center and was the largest crowd to attend an event in the City Hall in a quarter of a century.

Irene loved Park River and was very involved in the community. She was the first president of Decca Federated Study Club, president and secretary of St. Ansgar’s Hospital Auxiliary, president and secretary of St. Mary’s Altar Society, and a member of Catholic Daughters of the Americas. She was co-chair of the Auxiliary Division of St. Ansgar’s Health Center Endowment Foundation Campaign in February 1996 and was a member of St. Ansgar’s Development Council in 1997. She was an active and dedicated member of St. Ansgar’s and First Care Auxiliary for many years.

Irene was a faithful member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church who lived her Catholic faith strongly through attending daily Mass, praying the Rosary, and serving as a lector.   She enjoyed having coffee with the “Morning Glories” after daily Mass. Irene was a very positive person, had a great sense of humor and loved a good joke. She was always cheerful and welcoming to others. Family was very important to Irene who loved her husband, children, and grandchildren very much. Irene was an excellent cook, loved entertaining, gardening, and music. She found great joy in singing especially with her sisters, the “Bena Girls” as they were known. Irene enjoyed collecting recipes, angels, and playing bridge.

Irene is survived by her son, Robert “Bob” (Cindy) Hankey, Longville, Minnesota, Susan (Tony) May Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Anne (Don) Dalbey, Noyes, Minnesota; nine grandchildren, Blake (Kelsey) Hankey, Brandon (Kelsey) Hankey, Ben (Brittany) Hankey, Aaron (Linda) May-Zhang, Marita (Connor) May O’Connell, Dixie (Jake) Sele, Dustin (Megan) Dalbey and Shannon Dalbey; great-grandchildren Lucas Hankey, Triton, Dax, and Beckett Sele, Cameron May-Zhang, Gus Hankey and Crue Dalbey. She is also survived by her sisters, Miki (Jim) Hayden of Crystal Lake, Illinois and JoAnne (Bill) Pierce of Canton, Connecticut.

Preceding her in death were her husband “Bart” in December 2014, her parents, sister and brother-in-law Dorothy and Ernie Thompson, sister Lorraine Klein and granddaughter Maren Hankey.

Memorials may be given in Irene’s memory to St. Mary’s Catholic Church or First Care Auxiliary.

A private funeral Mass for the immediate family will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Park River on Friday, November 6. The funeral Mass will be live-streamed on the Tollefson Funeral Home Inc Facebook page at 10:30 AM. A walk through visitation will be held from 10:00 – 10:30 at St. Mary’s Church. An online guest book is available at: www.tollefsonfuneralhome.com