Irene C. Lella

Irene C. Lella Miss Irene C. Lella, 98, of Neenah, but always of Wausau, died Thursday, October 26, 2017, with her faithful nephew at her side. Irene was born at home to the late John and Catherine (Midlikowski) Lella on June 5, 1919. She was a proud graduate of Wausau Senior High School, Class of 1937. After graduation she went to work for Marathon Electric (fondly known as "the Motor Works") where she thoroughly enjoyed the assembly line work. She stayed there until reluctantly leaving due to the labor strike of 1952. Frustrated by the idleness of not working, she one day put on her coat and walked uptown. Unplanned, she stopped at Employers Mutual Insurance Company's office on Grant Street (now city hall) and asked for an application. She was interviewed that same day and stayed at the company for 27 years, retiring in 1979 as Records Supervisor of the Wausau Region. In 1980 she sold the family home and moved to Neenah to live with her brother, Carl. Irene's work ethic was born out of the Great Depression. She learned to scrimp and save early in her life and never stopped. Her mainstay and enjoyment throughout her life was manual labor. She loved to be outdoors digging in the ground, planting or weeding, cutting grass, or climbing the roof to shovel off snow or paint the flashing. Her immaculate housekeeping was a testament to this. "Hard work is no snap" she would often say, as well as "never give up." She is survived by her brother Daniel (Sue) Lella of Neenah, nephew Thomas (Lee Ann) Lella of Wausau; nieces Mary Lella of LaCrosse and Siren, Nancy (Mike) Czerwinski of Appleton; and her grand-nephew Michael Lella, of whom she will always be very proud. Irene was preceded in death by her parents, brothers George and Carl, and sister-in-law Hildegarde. The family welcomes friends and relatives on Sunday, October 29 (TODAY) from 4:00-5:30pm at St. Gabriel Church (900 Geiger Street) in Neenah. In the sure and certain hope of the resurrection, the Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated on Monday, October 30 at 11:00am at the church of her baptism, St. Michael Catholic Church in Wausau. The family welcomes friends and relatives beginning at 10:00am in the gathering space at St. Michael. Entombment will follow in Garden of Eternal Rest at Restlawn Memorial Park, Wausau. Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home of Wausau has been entrusted with the arrangements. Good night, Irene; good night, Irene, I'll see you in my dreams.