Irene Braun

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, February 10 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Melrose with Rev. Marvin Enneking officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery. The Mass will be livestreamed and can be viewed on the church’s YouTube channel: Church of St. Mary Melrose.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose and from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Friday at the church.

Irene Marcella Stalboerger was born May 22, 1944 in Sauk Centre, Minnesota to Edmund and Selma (Eibensteiner) Stalboerger. She grew up in rural Elrosa and graduated from St. Francis High School in Little Falls. On August 22, 1964 she was united in marriage to Robert “Bob” Braun at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Elrosa. The couple farmed near Spring Hill, and then continued to raise their kids in Greenwald. Later moving to Melrose where she worked for many years in Housekeeping at the Melrose Hospital spreading her loving kindness from room to room until her retirement.

Irene was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church where she taught religious ed classes, was president of Christian Mothers, was a Eucharistic minister, and sang in the Resurrection Choir. She enjoyed biking, visiting with friends, bird watching, caring for her houseplants, and most of all spending time with her family.

Survivors include her husband, Bob Braun of Melrose; children, Jim (Sheryl) Braun of Greenwald, Joe (Karen) Braun of Shoreview, Lori Campagnola of Minneapolis, Barb (David) Digerness of Plymouth, Emily (Joe) Langel of Brooklyn Park, Jason (Kristie) Braun of Melrose, and Brenda (Robb) Enslin of Duluth; 29 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren with one on the way; brother and sisters, Stanley Stalboerger, Marilyn Schoenberg, Sharon Hemiadan, Ramona Stalboerger, Barb Barten, and Roxane Kampsen; and mother-in-law, Val Braun.

Irene was preceded in death by her parents; brother, David Stalboerger; sister, Pat Seitz; stillborn brother, Joseph Stalboerger; grandson, Logan Braun; and son-in-law, Stephen Campagnola.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.