Wichita, KS - Irene was born on July 14, 1929, to Jacob and Bertha (Kohn) Schukman at their home 5 miles north of Hays, Kansas. She married Walter Leiker on February 5, 1951, in Hays. They celebrated 32 years together before he died in 1983. They had two children, Jen Ellen Nash (Walt) and Michelle Wessling Fisher (David, Rollie).
After her children were born, she attended Crum’s Beauty School in Manhattan, Kansas. Shortly after her graduation, the family returned to Hays and she started her own business, Irene’s Beauty Salon, first in their home, then in the Centennial Shopping Center. She made many good friends throughout her 50 years of business. Without realizing it, she was ahead of her time and served as a model for her daughters that women could be “the boss” and “the owner” and they could grow up to be anything they wanted.
She was an active member of St. Joseph’s Catholic church in Hays, and served on the Parish Activities Committee for many years. She was involved in baking for, hosting, and planning many receptions and social gatherings.
After retiring, she moved to Wichita in 2009 to be closer to her daughters. She became an active member of the Orchard Park Senior Center and served on the planning committee there while making dear friends.
She was a prayer warrior for many people over the years. Her daily routine was to spend several hours praying for the special intentions people brought to her. She always ended her prayers with her own special intention, “for everyone on my prayer list, and those who have no one to pray for them.”
Whenever someone asked her to pray for someone, she asked for the person’s name, as she wanted the prayers to be personal. She never stopped praying for anyone until told she could, or that all was well.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter, her daughter, Jen Ellen, parents Jacob and Bertha (Kohn) Schukman, one sister, Virginia Schwartz, and 6 brothers, Marcellus, James, Chuck, Edward, Ralph, and Jacob Jr. She is survived by her daughter Michelle, heart-chosen grandchildren Mariana Sarur and Hector Morales (Oklahoma City, OK), step-grandchildren Jennifer Fisher Vanourney (Sam) (St. Joseph, MO) and Matt Fisher (Kansas City, MO), and great-grandson Ron Vanourney, as well as many loving nieces and nephews. She is also survived by friends as dear as family who helped ensure her health and happiness until the end of her life, Denis and Barb Pianalto (Wichita), Erica Perez (Wichita), Julienne Corr (Wichita), Maggie Denning and Tom Wasinger (Hays), and Susan Smith (Mesa, AZ).
A memorial service led by her nephew, the Reverend Roger Schwartz of Augusta, Georgia, will be held at Downing & Lahey West Mortuary, 10515 W. Maple in Wichita, KS at 7:00 pm, Thursday, September 19, 2024.
A burial service will be at 1:00 pm, Friday, September 20, at Hays Memorial Chapel, 1906 Pine Street, Hays, KS with burial in St. Joseph’s Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, Irene requested memorials to the Midwest Transplant Network, 1900 W. 47th Place, #400, Westwood, KS 66205.
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