Irene Mildred Goree passed away November 19, 2025, at Saunders Medical Center Long Term Care Facility in Wahoo.
Irene was born to William and Emma (Wagner) Gerathewohl on February 26, 1933 and grew up in Hooper. Irene permanently lost her hearing due to a complication from a childhood illness when she was eight years old. With great determination to communicate, she became a skilled lip reader. Irene graduated from Hooper High School in 1950 and then attended business college in Omaha.
Upon course completion she returned to Hooper to work in the office at the local telephone company.
On July 18,1952 Irene married Gordon Leroy Goree, her husband of more than 73 years.
The young couple settled in Fremont where they raised five children. She enjoyed being outdoors, camping and fishing especially – it was hard to outfish Grandma Irene! Irene and Gordon enjoyed traveling with friends during retirement and spent summers in Minnesota and winters in Texas for 30 years.
Irene is survived by her husband, daughters, Linda (Bob) Betkie, Janice (John) Anderson of Fremont; Joan (Tim) Sparks of Lincoln; sons, Roger (Rita) Goree and Greg (Candy) Goree of Fremont; seven grandchildren, Mike Wittmann of Adams; Ben Wittmann, and Ryan (Meagan) Wittmann of Lincoln; Katie Owen of Fremont; Amy (Scot) Moore of Lincoln; Maggie (Christian) Bergheim of Lawton, Iowa, and Richard Goree of Omaha. Irene is also survived by 15 great-grandchildren.
Irene was preceded in death by her parents, sister Evelyn and her husband Merrill Snover, aunt Anna Wagner, mother and father in-law, Florence (Meyer) and Chuck Goree, three sisters-in-law Julene Zimmerman, Marlene Dukes and Dorothy Dobbins and brother in-law Don Goree.
Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, November 24, 2025 at Moser Memorial Chapel in Fremont. Private family services will be held at a later date.
Burial will take place at Ridge Cemetery in Fremont.
Memorials may be directed to the Fremont Friendship Center.
Online condolences may be left at: www.mosermemorialchapels.com
