Irene Delores Lau

IRENE DELORES LAU, age 91 of Waseca, passed away at Foxdale-Colony Court Senior Living Solutions on Saturday, December 2, 2023.

Born in Spooner, Wisconsin on December 27, 1931, Irene was the daughter of Ferdinand William and Virginia Lenore (Davis) Berndt. She attended country school in Washburn County for a short time before her family moved to rural Waseca where she attended country school in Otisco Township. She married Donald Martin Lau on April 6, 1949, at Freedom Lutheran Church in Pemberton, MN. They lived and raised their two daughters, Marcia, and Linda, on their farm in rural Pemberton, before moving to Waseca. Irene loved to cook and bake, owning the Pemberton Café years ago and later cooking at the Busy Bee Café, while her daughter Marcia waitressed. She enjoyed taking care of her granddaughters and great grandchildren when they were young, playing cards and bingo, going to dances with her husband and spending time with family and friends.

Irene is survived by one daughter, Marcia Hagen of Waseca; three granddaughters, Jennifer (Daniel) Kirchen of Mesa, AZ, Tammy (Joel) Fienen of North Mankato and Leann (Shane) Johnson of Eagan; and four great grandchildren, Brennen and Devon Mittelstaedt of Mesa, AZ; and Graham and Gabi Johnson of Eagan.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; brothers, Kendall Berndt (in infancy) and Ralph Berndt Sr.; daughter, Linda Shell; and grandson, Jeremy Hagen.