Obituary of Mary Blong

Mary Irene (Hartnell) Blong, age 93, passed away May 10, 2012 at her daughterÂ’s home after a brief illness. Irene was born in Stacyville, Iowa May 12, 1918. She graduated from Iowa State TeacherÂ’s College and taught 1st grade for 7 years. She also owned her own dress shop in Stacyville for a short time. She married Joseph Blong on June 26, 1943. They settled in Dyersville, Iowa where Joe established a dental practice after leaving the Navy. They had two children, a son, Thomas Joseph, and daughter, Mary Anne (Blong) Spears. They retired to Fort Myers, Florida, then to Dallas, Texas and finally resided on Mary Anne and Ron Spears land near Lone Oak, Texas. Irene had three great loves in her life, faith, family and travel. Her life was filled with all three, by volunteering her time for church and community activities, maintaining strong relationships with family and traveling throughout the United States and foreign countries. She had a special way of connecting with people, which led to numerous friends wherever she and Joe lived. IreneÂ’s husband, Joe, parents, Burton and Mary (Neilly) Hartnell, brother, Bud, and sister, Marjory Blue, preceded her in death. She is survived by her son, Tom and his wife Laura of Abilene, Texas, her daughter, Mary Anne and her husband Ron Spears of Lone Oak, Texas, five grandchildren, Jenise (Blong) Catiri, Jared Blong, Jody (Blong) Hatch and Chris and Jared Spears, and four great grandchildren, Merritt and Caleb Blong and Brett and Tyler Spears. Many treasured memories will be with many as a result of her living on this earth. We are happy that she suffers no more and is now enjoying GodÂ’s presence in Heaven.