Ilene Ione Jurrens, 90 died at the age of 90, on Wednesday, April 25, 2018, at the Brookings hospital.  

Funeral services are at Eidsness Funeral Home on Saturday, April 28, 2018, beginning at 2:30 p.m.  Interment will take place at Fairview Cemetery in White, following the service at 3:15 p.m.  Visitation will be held the day of service, beginning at 2 p.m. until the time of service. 

Ilene was born July 6, 1927, to Peter and Inga Ramlo.  She Ilene Ione Ramlo was one of 11 children growing up in Hendricks, Minnesota.  Ilene married Johnnie Jurrens on May 12, 1945.  Ilene was a housewife and mother of seven children, and also helped on the family farm north of White.  Many stories have been told of “thrasher dinners,” and cooking for a house full of nieces and nephews with no notice.  

Even in her later years, she would say, “I couldn’t sleep,” so she would get up at 3 in the morning and make a couple of pies, or jelly, or her famous Danish Apple Bars.  Her friends always looked forward to Ilene coming down for coffee, because she always brought goodies along.  

Not one to stay home, she was always busy delivering soup or a smile to a friend.  Ilene loved quilting, baking, bingo, fixing puzzles, and of course, playing Rook.  Ilene was a very giving and selfless woman.  While she will be missed, she will not be forgotten.

Ilene was baptized and confirmed at Calvary Lutheran Church.  She was born again in 1945, and committed her life to Christ in 1976.  She was part of a mission team to Costa Rica six times, and served as the American Legion Auxiliary Chaplain in Astoria for nine years.

Ilene is surved by her seven children: Janice (Neal) Nelson, of Hendricks, Minnesota, DeWayne (Mary) Jurrens, of Toronto,  Daniel Jurrens, of Egan,  Jolene (Tom) Koziatek of Winter Haven, Florida, David (Nyla) Jurrens of White, Judy Jurrens of South Bend, Indiana, and Janell Jurrens, of Bradenton, Florida; 25 grandchildren, and several great and great-great grandchildren.

Ilene was blessed to achieve the happy life and peaceful death to which we all aspire.  If the measure of our lives is what we have done for others, she leaves behind a great legacy shared fully with friends and family.  

Ilene truly understood that it is in giving that we receive.  We have the sure and certain hope that Ilene is with God and her departed siblings and parents.  We can’t ask anything more for her, or ourselves.