Irene (Baumgart) Hohn, 100, passed away on June 7, 2024, at Weskota Manor in Wessington Springs. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Thursday, June 13, at St. Wilfrid Catholic Church in Woonsocket. Burial will follow at the church cemetery. Please join the family for lunch and reminiscing after the burial. Visitation was 5-7 p.m., Wednesday, June 12, also at the church, with a scripture wake service at 7 p.m. The Mass will be live-streamed on the Basham Funeral Service – Woonsocket, SD Facebook page. 

Irene was born at home in Davison County by Ethan, on June 23, 1923, to August and Alice (Dickson) Baumgart. Irene was the oldest of 13 children. She was a loving and thoughtful mother, wife and friend who prayed her rosary many times a day, especially for anyone with a special need.

Irene attended Tobin 11 Country School, and at the age of eight, she would drive a horse and buggy and take her siblings with her to school. When she graduated from the eighth grade, she was awarded a beautiful black and white pen for the best penmanship, and she continued to have beautiful writing all of her life. Irene worked hard for neighbors, milking cows, and cleaning chickens for dinner every night, earning three dollars a week. Before she was married, Irene started playing the violin and saxophone in the family band with her sisters and brothers, who played banjo and drums. When she was 16, she moved to Stickney, where she started to work serving hot lunches at the school, being paid $19 per month. 

In the sixth grade, she remembered meeting her future husband, Victor, and they started going together when she was 16 after he said, “someday you are going to go with me to the altar.” She married the love of her life, Victor, when she was 21, and they had a huge wedding dance. She joined Victor and his three brothers in their band, making $150-$200 a night. They played for many weddings and barn and house dances in the area. Irene loved to polka, waltz and square dance. She began married life living on several different farms and at last settling in Woonsocket.

Times were not always easy, but she always provided meals for threshing crews, milked cows, cared for the farm animals and managed the busy household with seven kids. Food was always on the table, and she especially enjoyed preparing Sunday dinner for her family and visitors. She always found time to attend church circles and other activities at St. Wilfrid Catholic Church, where she was a member. On Sunday morning, her children’s seven pairs of shoes were shined and lined up on the kitchen table. They piled seven children, Grandma and Grandpa and themselves in a 1951 Chevy to go to church. After Victor’s passing, Irene moved to Wessington Springs to the house they had purchased as their retirement home. At 98 years old, this brave lady still drove herself to the beauty shop. When asked her advice for a long life, she said, “Put God first, learn to forgive, be thankful for what you have.” 

Irene is survived by her sister, Karen Berg; brothers, Denny (Jan), and Dale (Cheryl) Baumgart; her seven children, Harlen (Dee) Hohn of Sioux Falls, Ronnie Hohn of Wessington Springs, Darrell (Marcia) Hohn of Beresford, Dianne (Dan) Golay of Wessington Springs, Marilyn Hinrichs of Wessington Springs, Glen (Val) Hohn of Woonsocket, and Merle (Jean) Hohn of Huron; sisters-in-law, Judy and Rita Baumgart; her grandchildren, Kristi (David) Renner, Salli (Mark) Norhtdurft, Jason (Jennie) Hohn, Stephanie (Ron) Lucshen, Adam (Ann) Golay, Travis (Dayna) Hohn, Tara (Rod) Weber, Jody (Susanne) Hinrichs, Michelle (Ray) Hohn, Dustin (Mercedes) Hohn; step-grandsons, David (Nichole) Wilson and Dana Wilson; 28 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces, and nephews.  

Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, Victor; six sisters, Delores Smith, Rosella Nielson, Ruth Spitzer, Verna Stindtman, Betty Kurtenbach, and Sharon Kendall; three brothers, Leonard, Melvin, and Dwayne Baumgart; grandson, Andrew Hohn; granddaughter, Julie Binkerd; great-granddaughter, Hannah; and son-in-law, Calvin Hinrichs.