Irene E. Greenwalt

- Video Tribute Can Be Viewed Below - Irene E. Greenwalt, age 93 of Spearfish, died Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at the Westhills Village Healthcare Center in Rapid City. A memorial service will be held 10am Monday, October 16th at the Edgewood Vista Retirement Center in Spearfish. Graveside services were held 11am Tuesday, September 26th, 2017 at the Belvidere Cemetery, in Belvidere, SD. Funeral arrangements are with Leverington Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche. Irene Esther Krogman was born near Belvidere, SD, the sixth of fourteen children born to John F. Krogman and Mary Margaret Wanamaker. She married Paul B. Greenwalt in February 1948. Paul died later that year and Irene never re-married. Irene spoke fondly of her high school days in Kimball, SD where she lived with her mother’s brother and his wife. At the recommendation of a teacher in Kimball, Irene set off for Spearfish Normal (now Black Hills State University), where she ultimately received a B.S. in Education in 1952. She received her Masters in Mathematics from the University of Santo Thomas in Manila in 1971. Beginning her career as an educator at a one room school house in Kadoka, SD, Irene went on to teach elementary grade students in Buffalo, Lead, and Rapid City SD. She became a teacher for the U.S. Dept. of Defense as a civilian teacher in 1955. She traveled the world teaching high school math to the children of service personnel, with assignments in England, Germany, Morocco, Spain and the Philippines. Ever curious and always active, Irene traveled throughout Europe, Africa and Asia, and often recounted a legendary solo drive from Germany to Morocco in her beloved convertible Volkswagen Bug. She retired to Spearfish in 1991. Irene was a lover of animals and a lifelong supporter of education. Though she did not have children, she leaves the world having impacted countless numbers of students, many of whom continued their studies at top universities. Irene is survived by nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband, Paul; her parents and siblings. Irene leaves many in the community with memories and gratitude for having heard her stories of travel and discovery.