Irene Ferguson

Irene Powlowski Ferguson, 87, of rural Flat Rock, IL, died at 2:20 p.m. Wednesday, December 23, 2009 at Lawrence County Memorial Hospital, Lawrenceville, IL. She was born November 10, 1922 in Scranton, PA, the daughter of Steven Powlowski and Alexandra Wolos Powlowski. Irene worked in a defense plant in Connecticut during WWII. She was a “stay at home mother” and was active in the Flat Rock Teen Center while her children were young. She was a member of the St. Elizabeth Catholic Church and was active with the Crawford County Democratic Party.She married Charles Frederick Ferguson on January 31, 1945 and he survives. She is also survived by her 2 sons and daughters-in-law, Donald and Julie Ferguson, Warren, OH, Charles Ferguson, Jr., and Louie Ferguson, Flat Rock; her daughter, Kathleen Schmidt and Andy Miller, Tucson, AZ; 6 grandchildren; 5 step-grandchildren; 7 great grandchildren; 18 step great grandchildren; her sister, Gertrude Yokstas, Bridgeport, CT; her brother, Ed Powlowski, Bridgeport, CT; 2 sisters-in-law, Zelda Johnson, Ft. Branch, IN and Wilma and Don Maxwell, Robinson; and numerous nieces and nephews.She was preceded in death by her parents and one grandson.Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Saturday, December 26th at the Goodwine Funeral Home, Flat Rock. Funeral mass will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, December 26th at the St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, Robinson with Rev. William Overmann officiating. Burial will be in the Maxwell Cemetery, rural Flat Rock. Friends may visit after the services at 2:00 p.m. at the South Union Church, rural Flat Rock. Memorials may be made to the Crawford County Humane Society, with envelopes available at the funeral home.