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Irene Conklin, 87, of Afton, died Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at Greater Regional Health in Creston. Celebration of Life Memorial Services will be 11 a.m. May 31, at Powers Funeral Home in Afton. Rev. Jim Morris will officiate. The burial will be in the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Van Meter at a later date. Open visitation, with family receiving friends, will be 10–11 a.m., prior to the service.
Memorials can be made to the Afton Fire Department. Online condolences may be made at www.powersfh.com.
Sarah Irene Conklin, was born Nov. 21, 1936, daughter of Ernest Spencer Stephens and Winifred Lois (Hohn) Stephens in Ringgold County. She graduated from Afton High School in 1955. On May 27, 1956, Irene was united in marriage to Morris Franklin Conklin in Afton. Together they settled in the Afton area, where Irene was a homemaker, sold Avon and was a receptionist for Dr. Driskill. In 1970, she started at the Greater Regional Hospital managing the respiratory therapy department until her retirement in 1995.
She was an active volunteer for the Afton Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, and the first female in the department. She was a part of the rescue department and ran the pumps for 20 plus years. Irene was a member of the Afton United Methodist Church.
Irene is survived by her children, Debra (Steve) Ruby of Afton, Barbara Moore of Afton and Larry (Brenda) Conklin of West Des Moines; four sisters: Evelyn Fluckey of Bella Vista, Arkansas, Carol Johnson of Omaha, Nebraska, Larraine (Dick) Hartman of Ames, and Jane Scott of Corning; 10 grandchildren: Mike (Tia) Sullivan of Waukee, Dan (Melissa) Cormeny of St. Petersburg, Florida, Becky Cormeny (Taylor Ray) of Lenox, Sheri (Eddie) Tomas of Afton, Dana (Kyle) Sand of Creston, Kylie (Dave) Russell of Des Moines, Chris (Alyssa) Moore of St. Paul, Minnesota, Bailey Conklin of Bellevue, Washington, Alex Conklin (Sophia Brez) of Overland Park, Kansas, and Gabe Conklin of West Des Moines and eight great-grandchildren: Hannah (Trey Cheers), Billie, Tommy, Quynn, Alec, Nick, Layne, and Remmy.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Morris Conklin in 2023; and two brothers, Ivan and Allen Stephens.