Irene Raney

Irene Raney, longtime Cleveland area resident, passed away on Tuesday, June 11, 2002 at the St. John Medical Center in Tulsa at the age of eighty-eight years, ten months and ten days.

Irene was born July 31, 1913 in Thayer, Missouri. She was the daughter of Irvin Z. and Laura Lavern Pierce. Irene was raised and attended school in Thayer and moved to Cleveland in the late 1920's.

Irene was married to Carl Leland Raney in Cleveland on October 16, 1933. The couple established their home in Cleveland and raised a daughter, Dixie. Irene was employed for several years in the early 1940's by Lorene ''Rene'' Roller at the Style Shop. She later was hired as a bookkeeper by Granville Pierce at the Cleveland Rexall Drug Store. She continued working at the drug store until 1960 when she started learning the floral business at the Pawnee Floral Shop, working for Mrs. Kerr.

In 1963, Irene and Carl established Cleveland Flowers in the front of their home on East Delaware. Irene continued to operate her flower shop for nearly twenty years when she sold her business. She was a lifetime member of F. T. D. (floral trade organization and wire service) and was a member of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce for many years. Additionally, she was a member of the First Baptist Church. Carl preceded her in death on March 23, 1990 after fifty six years of marriage.

She is survived by her daughter, Dixie Bartlett, Tulsa, Oklahoma; three grandchildren, Barri Bartlett, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Brindi Manka, Tulsa, Oklahoma and Chase Bartlett, Collinsville, Oklahoma; one great grandson, Matthew Zuniga, Tulsa, Oklahoma; niece, Jetta Murphy, Bartlesville, Oklahoma; and a nephew, Irven Girssette, Bartlesville, Oklahoma. In addition to her husband, Irene was preceded in death by five sisters: Dixie Duft, Essa Smith, Zona Tribele, Alva Mathes and Belle Miller; and two brothers: Otto Pierce and H. E. Shumate.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm, Friday, June 14, 2002 at the Woodland Cemetery Chapel with David Ingle officiating. Burial will be at the Woodland Cemetery under the direction of the Chapman-Black Funeral Home.

''Visit an online obituary and guestbook for Irene Raney at www.chapman-black.com.''