IRENE MURPHY CULLEN  4/17/1916-4/17/2012

Funeral services for Irene Cullen, 96, of Chamberlain will be 10:00 am Saturday, April 21, 2012 at St. James Catholic Church in Chamberlain with burial in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery at Reliance, SD. Visitation will be Friday at St. James Catholic Church beginning at 6:00 pm with a 7:00 pm rosary/scripture.

Memorials may be directed to St. James Catholic Church, 400 S Main Street, Chamberlain, SD 57325

Irene was born April 17, 1916, at Reliance, SD to Thomas and Catherine (Erdman) Murphy. She graduated from Reliance High School in May, 1933. On August 17, 1936, she was united in marriage to William “Babe” Cullen in Reliance. They farmed near Reliance from 1937 until 1952. In 1952, they bought the Rainbow Café in Chamberlain, which they operated for 26 years, until their retirement.

Irene was a member of the St. James Catholic Church and was active in Altar Society, extension club, church choir, the Tea Bags, and many church functions. She was a loving, giving person who always thought of others, putting their needs above her own. Family was extremely important to her; whenever any of them needed her, she was always there. Irene was a spiritual and prayerful person, attending daily Mass nearly every morning after her retirement. Irene died Tuesday April 17, 2012 at Sanford Care Center in Chamberlain. Irene is survived by her four children: Corrine (Leiferman) Vetter of Chamberlain, SD; Dennis Cullen of Hernando, FL; Judy Hanson of Minnetonka, MN; and Vicci Haeseker of DeKalb, IL; 16 grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren; and four great great grandchildren. She is also survived by two brothers and two sisters: Eugene “Bud” Murphy of Billings, MT; Alver “Babe” Murphy of Sun City, AZ; Peggy Jensen of Thousand Oaks, CA; and Colleen Koch of Billings, MT.

Irene was preceded in death by her husband Babe, her parents, a brother Laverne, a sister Alvina Korves, and a great grandson Zachary Zenk.