Irene L. Peltier

Irene Peltier 11-23-25 to 7-17-15 Irene Peltier, wife, mother, career professional and skilled player of bridge, died Friday, July 17, 2015, at Episcopal Church Home in St. Paul. She was 89. Irene and husband Dell owned and managed Sward Kemp drugstore in Litchfield for two decades. During that time she became the Director of Pharmacy at Meeker County Memorial Hospital, where she worked for 20 years. Born, November 23, 1925, in Minneapolis, Irene was the only child of Josephine and Oscar Mogard. She spent most of her youth in Devils Lake, ND, where Oscar worked as a salesman for John Deere & Co. Irene exhibited her independent streak early, staying behind at a boarding house to complete her senior year of high school in Devils Lake while her parents moved to Watertown, SD for Oscar's job. Following a year of convalescence to combat tuberculosis, Irene entered South Dakota State University in 1944, where she would later be among the first group of women to attend pharmacy school. It was there she met her future husband, Dellard Peltier, a WWII veteran from Marshall who, like so many, returned to complete his education under the GI Bill. Introduced to him by a fellow pharmacy classmate, Irene recalled coming home that evening and telling her roommate ""I've just met the man I am going to marry."" They tied the knot in 1949. After short stint in Redwood Falls, the couple settled in Litchfield, where Sward Kemp Drug became a downtown fixture. Irene's outgoing personality and quick wit served her well in her newfound home. She soon became involved in civic activities including the Litchfield Women's Club. She also played bridge, a game learned as a teenager and perfected on card tables across Meeker County. She will be remembered by family and friends as a woman who spoke her mind, for better or worse, and liked nothing better than engaging with her friends and those of her children, for whom she became both mentor and advocate. She will also be remembered for her signature penchant for cheeseburgers, elegantly smoked cigarettes, rare roast beef and a well-made bourbon press. Irene passed away peacefully on the eve of what would have been she and Dell's 66th anniversary. Irene is preceded in death by her parents and husband. She is survived by her children and their families. Steve and Marilyn Peltier of St. Paul; Jo and Andy Duplessis of Stillwater; Susan Peltier and Michael Parker of Tupelo, MS; Michael and Mary Jo Peltier of Tallahassee, FL; Ed and Candice Mingo of Jacksonville, FL; and Jim and Lois Peltier of Las Vegas, NV. A memorial service will be held at St. Phillips Catholic Church on August 14th at 10 a.m. Visitation begins at 9 a.m. In lieu of flowers, a donation to N.E.W. Curative - Insiders I Program in Green Bay, WI in Irene's name would be appreciated. Previous Events Visitation Friday, August 14, 2015 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Church of St. Philip 821 East 5th street Litchfield, MN 55355 Visitation Friday, August 14, 2015 10:00 AM Church of St. Philip 821 East 5th street Litchfield, MN 55355