Irene Paulus 
Afton

Irene Paulus, 76, of Afton died May 14, 2012, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.

Graveside memorial services will be 10 a.m. Friday, May 18, at Greenlawn Cemetery in Afton. Visitation with family present will be 9 to 10 a.m. service time Friday at the cemetery. Internment will be in Greenlawn Cemetery in Afton. Powers Funeral Home, 612 N. Dodge St., Afton, is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be directed to Afton Fire Department. Online condolences may be left at www.powersfh.com.

G. Irene Paulus, daughter of Opal Catherine (Glazebrook) and Ivan Conn, was born July 28, 1935, in Thayer. She graduated from Afton High School in 1953.

Irene settled in the Afton area.

On Jan. 23, 1959, Irene married Leonard Eugene Paulus in Afton.

Irene worked as a homemaker. She also worked for Amos Grocery Store and later at Ben Franklin Store in Creston.

Gene died in December of 1971.

On Feb. 4, 1977, Irene married Clarence Ashburn in Knoxville.

While in Knoxville, she worked in a fabric store until retiring in 1997.

Clarence died in May of 1998.

Irene moved back to Afton in 1998.

On March 11, 2003, Irene married Gordon Paulus in Osceola.

Irene is survived by her husband Gordon Paulus of Afton; daughter Vickie Paulus (friend Denny Bishop) of Afton; sons, Gary “G.A.” Paulus (friend Cindy Roan) of Afton, Casey Paulus (wife Linda Whisler) of Afton and Mark Paulus of Loveland, Colo.; stepson, Gary (wife Carol) Paulus of Pleasant Hill; stepdaughter Teresa Paulus of Tulsa, Okla.; brothers, Maurice (wife Linda) Conn of Madison, S.D., and Dale (wife Diane) Conn of Mount Ayr; sisters, Helen Donald of Sheboygan, Wis., and Marian Wynn of Des Moines; grandchildren, Trevor Paulus (fiancée Trina Long) of Creston, Tony (wife Rhinnon) Tessum of Afton and Katie Rice of Afton; stepgrandchildren, Carrie Paulus of Newton, Casey (husband Erik) Zimmeht of Ottumwa, Cody Paulus of Ottumwa, Jami Dwinell of Owasso, Okla., Brandi Gonzales of Broken Arrow, Okla., Stachia, Daniel and Dustin Duncan, all of Tulsa, Okla., and Krystal, Kiley and Kurtis Hacker, all of Creston; great-granddaughter Zoey Tessum and six step-great-grandchildren.

In addition to her two husbands, Irene was preceded in death by her parents; son Terry Ray; brothers, Dick and Bob Conn and sister Doris Ashburn.