Irene “Mike” O’Rorke, 98, of Boise, passed away, November 12, 2024.
Irene was born on May 24 1926 at home on a farm near Toronto South Dakota. Her parents were Henery Mikkelson, a farmer who had lost everything in the Great Depression and Netta Rodbarget, who migrated from Norway. Irene’s childhood was very similar to the TV series “Little House on the Prairie “. Her days were filled with early morning chores and school and homework by candle light. Her chores included milking the family cow which she disliked and the only cows she wanted to be near after her farm life was a medium rare steak, She attended a small single room white school house that still stands on her farm. She graduated from Toronto High School with a class of six in 1944. Strangely later she would discover and befriend one of those classmates that had also settled in Boise. Dr. Quentin Quickstad. From there she would go on to become a registered nurse graduating from South Dakota State with honors.
Upon graduation the Red Cross was badly in need of nurses to help with a polio epidemic in Boise Idaho. Irene bravely volunteered and soon found herself in a place she didn’t know existed Boise, One night after her shift a friend talked Irene to go to the Alibi bar. There she met a handsome young man celebrating his hire with the newly formed air national guard, Johnny ORorke. The two fell in love and were married in St John’s churchNov 7 1948. Their marriage would last 70 years till John’s passing in 2019.
Shortly after John was activated for the Korean War and Irene followed to Valdosta Ga. Were she was miserable , pregnant in that hear with lots of cockroaches but later they were stationed to SanBernadino Ca where Janice was born. They returned to Boise in 1953 when Pat was born and Teri in 1955 who lost her battle to cancer in 2001.
Irene was employed as a nurse at the VA, St Luke’s and office nurse for Dr Wilkinson. In 1963 she was a Boise school nurse 22 years retiring in 1985,In retirement she and John enjoyed Golf, bowling,and traveling. They traveled to Norway, Ireland and England with their best friends Jeb and Maykay Halliburton and Betty Stadler. After John’s passing Irene lived a quiet life in her home of 60 years: Irene passed on Nov 12 surround in the love of her children, four grand children and eight great grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held, 1:00 pm, Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at Bowman Funeral Parlor, 10254 W. Carlton Bay Dr., Garden City, Idaho. A committal service will be held at Dry Creek Cemetery, 9600 Hill Rd., Boise, immediately following the funeral service.
The family would like to invite you to join for a celebration of life following the committal service, at Pat O’Rorke’s home, 2301 N.Grandee St., Boise.