In Loving Memory of Velma "Irene" Rutledge Elliot Stacey    2/13/1926 - 2/10/2021

Born in Iowa on February 13th, 1926 on a cold and snowy day, Irene passed away February 10th, 2021, on a cold and snowy day in Missouri. She was just a few days shy of her 95th birthday. She fell asleep in her home surrounded by the immense love of three generations around her and is now awaiting the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Irene was married at 16 years of age to Arnold "Ray" Elliot and had 4 children, Arnold, Harold, David, and Ann Elliot. She had to drop out of school, but she graduated with her high school diploma in 1963 from Mountain Grove High School, 3 years before her oldest son graduated. She always talked about how important her 8th grade English teacher was to her. She told her how smart she was and that stuck with her all her life. After graduating from high school, she got a call from the Division of Family Services asking her to come in for an interview for a secretarial position. Irene was a little confused but agreed to go to the interview. That started her long career with the State of Missouri. She worked her way up the ladder and was the State's first trainer for the Division of Family Services to write, implement, teach, and evaluate the State's worker to help prepare them for the difficult job that they would face. Irene had faced this and more, as she ended up being the director of many of the State's "Problem Counties" and had a reputation of turning them around in less than two years. She graduated from Drury College with a BA in Psychology after going 8 years to night school driving an hour and half one way, several times a week, to further her education. She retired from the State in 1991 celebrating 26 years. And by the way, she found out it was her high school teacher who sent in her application to the state, unbeknownst to her. This teacher recognized Irene's superior ability to type and keep the books and her great heart to learn. She also saw that Irene needed a little help believing in herself. This simple but huge gesture began a whole new adventure for Irene.

That same year of retirement in 1991, she got remarried to Joe Stacey and lived and enjoyed life with him for 15 years, golfing and traveling all over the United States. She got a hole in one award during this time (she was in her 60's). After losing Joe to cancer, she moved to Moberly, Missouri to be close to her daughter and family in 2009. She attended Moberly Area Community College and was in art classes with her granddaughter, often competing with her fiercely for first place in art shows. She lived on her own until she was 90 and then moved in with her daughter and lived there until her death. This was an agreement her and her daughter made when she was in her 50's, that if she made it to 90, she would move in with her no matter where she was.

She had ten grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. She also has one living sibling, Carol Wagner.

She always gave the best advice and had an answer for everything…. whether you wanted it or not. She would NEVER EVER let the facts get in the way of a good story!!! In her words, "I may embroidered just a bit". She was feisty, bold, honest, and opinionated. She was also very proud of her body, which she would get up every morning and exercise, bragging that she had been told she had the prettiest legs in Mountain Grove! Even in the last years of her life, she would love to go to see the Doctors because they would always double check her birthdate and go on about how she did not even look 60 years old!

What is not to love about a woman who loved life, her children and grandchildren so deeply. When retired (and probably before), she'd start every morning with a cup (or two) of coffee with a shot (or two) of Irish Cream in it.

Irene was a fun loving, happy individual who celebrated life. She came from an extremely poor upbringing and became financially successful. She never forgot where she came from and had a heart to help the less fortunate, because she too had been less fortunate. She cared about people and tried to give them all the things that they would need to be successful. She often said, "Don't cry because I'm gone, celebrate that I lived".  She LIVED, She LAUGHED, She LOVED!

A graveside service will be held in Springfield Missouri at Hazelwood Cemetery on February 22, 2021 at 2:00 pm, under the care of Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home. She will be buried close by her beloved Joe. If you would like to celebrate her life, send the money you would spend on flowers and donate it to: Missouri KidsFirst and your gift will help protect children and continue what Irene dedicated her career to do. With your help, we can prevent child abuse before it happens, intervene for children when abuse does happen, and advocate for just laws that make Missouri a safer and better place for children.
To make a Credit Card donation, please contact them at:
https://www.missourikidsfirst.org/donate/
To make a gift via check, please make payable to "Missouri KidsFirst" and send to their office at: 520 Dix Road, Ste. C., Jefferson City, MO, 65109.  Make sure you donate it in her name: Irene Stacey