Irene Tetzner

SUN CITY - Irene Tetzner was born on November 4, 1920 in Emanuelssegen, Germany, the daughter of a mining engineer, Georg Schaffranek, and a banker, Hedwig Schaffranek. Her one brother, Herbert, who predeceased her. Irene was proud of her ability to fluently speak and write six languages: German, Polish, Russian, French, Italian and English. She served as a Red Cross nurse in WWII and survived an 8-month captivity as a Russian POW, utilizing her nursing and language skills. She escaped and walked from Russian back to Goslar, Germany, where she hoped to find her parents and her brother. She twice risked crossing enemy lines to rescue both her ill mother and father, and brought them both to safety. After the war, she worked for the British Control Commission as an interpreter, where she met her husband of 54 years, Alfred H. Tetzner, who also worked for the Commission. They both emigrated by sea to Sarnia, Ontario, Canada in 1952 because work and living accommodations in post-war Germany were scarce. They had three children, Brigitte, Ben and Fred, all of whom are living. Irene worked as an administrative assistant to many top-level executives in research, real estate and manufacturing, retiring from Schlage Lock in 1984. She had a love for music and art, utilizing her creative talents in painting murals and drawing pencil portraits, sewing, knitting and crocheting clothing for herself and Brigitte, playing the piano, singing in the church choir, enjoying classical and mariachi music. She treasured her family, creating a loving home and cooking great German food. She adored her grandsons, David and Matthew, sons of Brigitte and Jay, her son-in-law, whom she loved as her "third son." She lovingly cared for the family pets including dogs, cats, raccoons, birds. She was a master gardener. After retirement, she and Fred traveled often to Baja, Mexico. In her later years, she moved to Arizona to be near Brigitte and Jay and her grandsons, where she thrived for more than ten years. She touched the lives of everyone who had the privilege of knowing her with her radiant smile and compassionate way. Illness caught up to her in November 2012, although she handled every challenge in her life with brave grace. Her children and grandsons were constantly with her in her final weeks at Hospice of the Valley until she passed away at 11 p.m. on August 12, 2013 - just in time to get dressed to dance with her husband, Fred, on what would have been his 83rd birthday on August 13, 2013. How perfect! Her memorial service was held on August 25, 2013 at Church of the Palms in Sun City. Irene will live on forever in the hearts of her family, Brigitte, Jay, David, Matt, Ben, and all her furry kids, Jasmine, Killer, Kaiser, Zeus and Zoe. Happy 93rd birthday Mami.