Ruth "Irene" Bender

Ruth Irene Bender (nee Menke) age 89 passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 21, 2024 at the Cypress Regional Hospital, in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. Ruth Irene was born to Chris and Etta Menke on May 30, 1934. She was raised on a farm north of Shamrock, Saskatchewan. Irene was the second of six children (Ivy, Glennie, Larry, Lance, and Richard). As a child, Irene did the house cleaning, when her mom was busy taking care of the turkeys or helping her dad on the farm.

When Irene was older, she worked as a switchboard operator in Chaplin until she married Chris Bender on October 24, 1952. They lived on the Bender farm and raised two children, Linda, and Calvin. The family then moved and started another farm before Chris joined Pioneer Grain Company; now named Richardson Greenshields of Canada. Chris was transferred to many towns which allowed Irene to see all the different parts of Saskatchewan. They lived in Admiral, Uren, Hallonquist, Palmer, Richardson, and then in retirement they lived in Regina, Lac Pelletier and finally in Swift Current.

 While living in Palmer, Irene attended the University of Saskatchewan, to learn sewing and later taught lessons in Palmer and Gravelbourg. It was her passion. She started with an old singer sewing machine, which she used for many years until she got an Elna machine. She enjoyed her time as a 4H judge, judging both sewing and leather tooling. She would sew clothes for her daughter Linda and for herself.

Irene was well known for making clothes and through that, made many friends, particularly Vi Alm from Regina. Irene would offer her skills for events; she sewed all the bridesmaid dresses and a dress for herself for her daughter Linda’s wedding. She also made numerous square-dancing dresses for both her daughter and herself.

Irene had many talents; she was an amazing gardener and chef. Wherever the family moved, Chris would till a spot for a garden. The results of Irenes’ labor meant lots of canning, and not just vegetables, but also chicken and homemade dumplings. In Richardson, they had an egg candling plant where she worked for years, until it burned down.

When Chris and Irene retired, they decided to live in Regina, then bought a cabin at Lac Pelletier. They eventually bought a holiday home in Mesa, Arizona. The two were snowbirds for six months of the year, for fifteen years.

Irene was able to broaden her crafting skills in Mesa. She loved to make jackets out of sweatshirts and paint them. She collaged and decoupaged clear plates with paintings and fabric. She enjoyed baking and would often bring her baked goods to the market square on Saturdays, which included homemade pies and about ten dozen buns. She was well known for pies which were made from the apples she got from the farmers’ market and lemons from the tree in their park.

After many years of going south, Chris and Irene sold their place in Arizona and their cabin to move to Swift Current. They lived there until Chris fell and broke his hip. They then moved to a place in Riverview, which Irene enjoyed for nine years. She played bingo and crib two days a week and enjoyed live music every Wednesday. In her free time, she kept busy crocheting strips for plastic hangers and making tea towels. Irene made many good friends at Riverview and enjoyed her time there. She mentioned it many times that she wished she had moved there ten years sooner!

Irene is survived by her daughter Linda Benson, her grand-daughter Lacy (Todd) Degelman, their children Noah, Racquelle, Paul, and Holt. Irene’s son Calvin (Arlene) Bender, and their children Jason (Jade), Kyle (Brittany) and Clayton Bender, and great- great-grandchildren Cyndee, and Stella.

Irene was predeceased by her husband Chris (2018), her parents Chris (1989) and Etta (1992) Menke, her brother Glennie Menke, her brother-in-law Bill Millar (2017), sister Ivy Millar (2023) and her son-in-law Ken Benson (2023).

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