Elsie Irene Auch

Elsie Irene Auch, fondly known as Irene, passed away Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at Sister James Care Center in Yankton, SD. She was 91 years old.

A memorial service will be held 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 28, 2022 at Goglin Funeral Home in Yankton. Inurnment will take place at 4 p.m. at Rosehill Cemetery, Scotland. 

Elsie Irene Auch was born March 4, 1931 at Yankton Sacred Heart Hospital to Anna (Gercke) and Carl Christensen. She was fondly called by her middle name.  Irene was baptized December 5 at Mission Hill in the Lutheran faith. She went to Sunday school until she was 13 years old. She was confirmed at Petersburg Congregational Church, January 6, 1952, after she was married. Irene completed all eight grades at Cornbelt Rural School in the northwest portion of Yankton County. She attended Yankton High School for the first three years, graduating from Irene High School in 1949. Irene went to a business college for a year and became a bookkeeper at Iowa Master Breeders.

Irene married Harold H. Auch, July 8, 1951. They bought a farm in 1952 northwest of Lesterville, where they worked and raised their three sons, Michael, Dwight and Dale. Irene always helped Harold with the farm work while making a home for Harold and their boys. While still operating the farm, Irene worked for 2 ½ years at Yankton State Hospital. Harold and Irene owned and operated a grocery store in Scotland from 1970 to 1973. She began factory work, sewing garments in Irene, SD at Dakota Industries until 1976.  She completed her career at Chicago Rawhide in Springfield, SD, retiring after 20 ½ years.

In 2008 they lived in Scotland for 9 years and lived in Yankton from 2017 to her passing.

Religion was always important to Irene. She taught Sunday School for 7 years and bible school for 5 years, at Petersburg Congregational and United Church of Christ, Scotland. She was a faithful member of U.C.C. for many years.

Irene loved her family. Her hobbies included dancing and playing cards with friends and family. She was a member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary. She and Harold traveled as often as they could, visiting many parts of the United States.

Irene is survived by her three sons, Michael Auch of Yankton, SD, Dwight (Nancy) Auch of Oceanside, CA and Dale (Pat) Auch of Magnolia, MN; six grandchildren, Steven Auch, Malissa Bender, Shanna Shay, Samantha Auch, Matthew Auch and Marcus Auch; ten great-grandchildren, Jon, Raymond, Joshua, Neveah Auch, Emelia and Michael Bender, Skyler, Seth and Sadie Shay, Jennifer Rae and Oakley Auch. 

Preceding Irene in death was her husband of 65 years, Harold, in 2017; parents, Carl and Anna; grandson, Paul John Auch; daughter-in-law, Mary Auch; in-laws, Sophia and John Auch; brothers, John Christensen, Ernest (AnnaBelle) Christensen, Bernard (Beulah) Christensen, Erwin (Doris) Christensen and James Christensen and sister, Ina (Willie) Stanberry.