On March 1, 1922 Irene Dell Sicko was born to Oscar and Hertha (Schultz) Sicko in Sublime, Texas. She was the first of seven. Irene had the most loving, kind, and hardworking parents. Oscar and Hertha would be role models for her life. As a young woman, Irene loved school, volleyball, and Sunday softball games with her family and neighbors. However, she knew the hard work of farm life, gardening, cooking, and canning. She helped her Momma take care of her siblings as they came along.

On December 12, 1939, she married Leonard Rutledge. Their first years were spent on the farm, and then Leonard went to the South Pacific while she lived in San Antonio. After the war, Leonard and Irene moved to Houston where he worked for Southern Pacific Railroad and she worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone. Both were loyal employees for 35 years. She was very proud of her work at the phone company and enjoyed the many friendships she made there. During this time, they settled in North Houston in the Lindale Park community and raised three children: Travis Lee, Leonard Allen and Linda Kay. Irene spoke many times about the neighbors she loved and had high regard for.   Irene was a wonderful Mother, although it would be years before her children truly came to appreciate her gifts and legacy. Like her parents, she was most loving, kind, and hardworking. She became a role model for her children. She and Leonard did without many, many times, so that their children could attend college and enjoy all that their parents worked for.

In 1980, Leonard and Irene retired to the community in which they were raised. They had purchased land in Lavaca County in 1969 and it was here they built a retirement home. They loved returning to the land. Raising cattle and gardening provided them much enjoyment. Even after Daddy passed in 1996, Mother continued raising cattle alone. For things she couldn't do, she relied on Richard Henke and Donald Grafe. They were great blessings to her because their help allowed her to remain active and keep the cattle she loved. Bettye Appelt, her cousin, was also instrumental in helping her and we love and honor her for her loving care of Mom.

Irene lived a life of service. She never forgot that she was a wife, a mother, a daughter or a sister. She cared for her siblings, her mother, and her father -- who lived to just months shy of his 100th birthday, her husband Leonard who died in 1996, children, and grandchildren. She has been loving and wonderful to us all.

She has been preceded in death by her parents, her husband Leonard Rutledge, her sisters Gladys Peterson, Dorothy Hallowich, Velma Sargent, and both her brothers, Myron and Velbert Sicko. Numerous dear friends and other relatives also passed before her that she missed so dearly including Viola Melnar, Elvira Straatman Workman, Elverter Quinn, Lenno Rutledge and Wilma Ann Sless.

Surviving family includes children Travis Lee and his sons Clinton Wade and wife Christina, and their son Carter and daughter Kennedy; Tyler Lee, and son Tanner; Allen and his wife Carol, children Valinda and William, Celeste and son Marcus; Linda and husband Timothy, and their children, Kelsey, Kyle, Patrick, and Sarah and Sarah's children Skyler and Kaley. Mother's youngest sister Cymbeline Meyers of Victoria survives her.   Numerous nieces and nephews also mourn her loss – but we all know, and will miss, the blessings of being with her.

A celebration of her life service : 10:30 am, Saturday Nov. 17, 2018, at Kubena Funeral Home of Hallettsville. Visitation: 5 pm, Friday at Kubena Funeral Home. Pallbearers: Vance Peterson, Scott Peterson, Mike Sargent, Clint Rutledge, Tyler Rutledge and Kyle Newman. Officiants: Pastor Nick Ferguson & Pastor Jared Stillion . Memorials: Donor's choice. Burial: Hallettsville City Cemetery.