Irene J. Kippes, 86, Hays, died Tuesday, July 8, 2014 at the Via Christi Villages.

She was born September 18, 1927 in Catherine, Kansas the daughter of Leo J. and Albina (Jacobs) Dreiling. On September 22, 1948 she married Gilbert F. Kippes in Victoria, Kansas. He died November 9, 1999. She was a homemaker and a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, St. John’s Auxiliary, Ellis County Historical Society, and the VFW Auxiliary. She enjoyed shopping, cooking, and Thomas Kincaid artwork. She especially enjoyed spending time with her family and grandchildren.

Survivors include two sons, Glenn Kippes and wife Charisse of Dallas, TX, and Warren Kippes and wife Angie of Hays, two daughters, Sharon Wegele and husband Gary of Hays and Sheila Allen and husband Don of Wichita, Kansas, a sister Lillian Schumacher and husband Leland of Victoria, Kansas, and a sister-in-law Marian Dreiling of Colorado, nine grandchildren, twelve great grandchildren and one great great grandson.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, brothers Leo F. Dreiling, Jr., Thomas Dreiling, and John Dreiling, infant brothers Virgil and Frederick Dreiling, sisters Anita Feltis and Shirley Gross, and an infant sister Lillian Dreiling.

Private family services will be at a later date. Visitation will be from 5:00 pm until 8:00 on Sunday, July 13, 2014 at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street. A parish vigil service will be at 7:00 pm on Sunday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested in Irene’s memory to Via Christi Assisted Living, Hospice of Hays Medical Center, or to Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church Building Fund, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.haysmemorial.com