Irene Atamanczyk

Irene Nelson Atamanczyk left this life on Tuesday March 7, 2017, at the age of 63. Irene was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho, on August 16, 1953, to Raymond Nelson and Donabelle Harrop Nelson. Irene attended Bel Aire Elementary, Claire Gale Junior High and Idaho Falls High School. She married John Westergard II in 1968. She and John "Jack" had two beautiful daughters, Jennifer and Michelle. They divorced in 1972. On March 9, 1973, Irene married Carl Gene Atamanczyk. They had two sons, Nathan and Preston. After 41 years of marriage, Irene and Carl were divorced. Irene was a loving wife and mother who cared very much for her husband and children. She loved the outdoors and especially enjoyed riding dirt bikes and snowmobiles, camping, fishing, hiking and golfing. To her, the outdoors was God's country. She was active in several civic groups. In the late 1980s to early 1990s, she worked to lobby for public land multi-use protection and served as president of the Idaho State Snowmobile Association from 1990 to 1993. She later served as a volunteer at Mountain View Hospital and on the board of directors for Island Park Village. Irene was happiest when she was serving others and riding her snowmobile. In her later years, she went to Island Park every opportunity she had. Irene and her sister, Ronda, took several golfing vacations together. She tried to live life to it's fullest. Irene was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her ex-husband, Carl Atamanczyk; children, Jennifer Atamanczyk Eck (Kevin), Michelle Lynn Gilson (Mark Scott), Nathan James Atamanczyk (Jessica Chiles) and Preston Louis Atamanczyk (Katherine); her brother, Theron Raymond Nelson (Lynn); sisters, Ronda Nelson Elliott (Jerry) and Darla Nelson Jensen (Paul); 12 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 11, at the LDS chapel on the corner of Sunnyside Road and Holmes Avenue.

Memorial Services will be held