Frances Irene Wilcox, age 86, of Colby, passed away on December 11, 2013 at the Prairie Senior Living Complex in Colby.

Irene was born on August 29, 1927 in Hoxie to John J. Townsend and Caroline Frances "Frankie" (Peters) Townsend. She married Earl Latham Rudy on February 2, 1947 in Menlo.
To this union, four sons were born. She also had marriages with Johnny Johnson and David Louis Ratcliff before she married Carl Orvil Wilcox on May 17, 1964 in Levant.

Irene worked as a CNA at the Levant Nursing Home where she cared for the elderly in the 1950's and 60's. She met Carl at the Brewster Methodist Church, and with newfound love and happiness, they were married on May 17, 1964 at the Levant Nursing Home, much to the delight of the nursing home residents and her fellow workers. Irene and Carl lived in Brewster for about 25 years as Carl worked at a dairy farm and for other farmers in the Levant/Brewster area. He later was employed at the Great Western Sugar Beet factory as a night watchman. After Carl's retirement, Irene and Carl moved to the Prairie Senior Living Complex in Colby in July of 2000.

She was a member of the Full Gospel Fellowship Church in Brewster, American Legion Ladies Auxiliary in Goodland and Colby, Goodland V.F.W. Ladies Auxiliary, past member of the Oakley Wesleyan Church, and attended the Colby United Methodist Church. Irene will be missed by everyone who knew her and shared in her life.

Irene was preceded in death by her parents, John and Frankie, husband Carl (2009), five brothers: James, Everette, George, Theodore, and Roy Townsend, two sisters: Violet Walker and Velma Rohrbough, a step-sister, Jennie Ufford, and two grandchildren.

Survivors include five sons: Ron Rudy of Olathe, CO, Don Rudy of Bourne, TX, Roy Rudy of Lakewood, CO, Dave Rudy of Colby, and Allen Ratcliff of Kingfisher, OK, 11 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren, a step-daughter, Carmen Rae Mitchell of Warm Springs, OR, and three step-grandchildren. Other survivors: her brothers-in-law Glen Wilcox and Bill Wilcox of Shawnee, KS, sisters-in-law Bonnie Schroeder of Rocky Ford, CO, and Marietta Stacey of Kingman, AZ, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 17, 2013 at the Colby United Methodist Church with Pastor James Mardock officiating. A committal service and interment will follow at the Hoxie Cemetery with Pastor Syd Stein officiating. Visitation: 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the church.

Memorials to Prairie Senior Living Complex, Colby and the Irene Wilcox Memorial Fund may be sent to the Kennedy-Koster Funeral Home, P.O. Box 221, Oakley, KS 67748.

www.kennedykosterfh.com