Irene Baer

Irene Rose (Ziniel) Baer, 91, of Mandan, passed away October 5th, 2024, after being in and out of the hospital. She didn’t care for these stays and was ready to come home to begin hospice, but then decided to go see her husband, God, and so many others waiting for her above. 

Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:30 AM on Friday, October 11, 2024, at Christ the King  Catholic Church, Mandan, with Rev. Fred Harvey as celebrant. Burial will be at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. 

Visitation will be held from 5-7 PM on Thursday, October 10, 2024, at Weigel Funeral Home, Mandan, with a Women of the Moose Ritual at 6:45 PM followed by a Parish Rosary & Vigil at 7 PM. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday. 

Irene was born December 18th, 1932, the last of 12 children born to Joseph & Elizabeth (Brigl) Ziniel in St. Anthony, ND. She lost her own father when she was 2 years old and soon became one of the sturdy strong Ziniel women who persevered over any trial and tribulation put in front of them. She attended rural Morton County schools and lived on the family farm south of Mandan before moving to town in 1943, with her mother. Irene graduated from Mandan High School in 1950 and started working at JC Penney’s.

Irene and DeLoyd "Johnny" Baer were married on December 4th, 1951, in an early morning ceremony and days later boarded a train to Enterprise, Alabama to begin their life together while Johnny served our country. After her husband was honorably discharged in 1952, they returned home to Mandan. 

She settled into married life and in 1956 Deb came into her world and she became a mom. Soon followed by John, Bill & Sandy and her delight to be a mother grew. Motherhood was her calling. The family moved to 900 W Main St. in 1963, a house she lived in and cared for over 60 years. 

Irene was a housewife, neighborhood babysitter, and later returned to work at the America Legion Club serving as head cook for 30 years. She was a life-time member of the Women of the Moose and a faithful member of Christ the King Catholic Church. 

Age slowed her down, but she still loved her flowers, especially the African violets she cared for in her home and doing jigsaw puzzles for hours and hours a day. She loved having visitors and you'd most likely help on her puzzles as she always had a completed one and a fresh one ready to go. She especially loved when family visited. She always had treats and goodies ready for them. 

Irene was preceded in death by her daughter, Debra Suchy, in 2014; husband, DeLoyd "John", in 2016; and brothers, Joseph, Edward, William, Clarence, and Raymond Ziniel; sisters, Alfreda Haider, Kathryn Olson, Frona Egyhazi, Betty Geiss, Clara Geiss, and Laurayne Miska; sisters-in-law, Corinne, Elfreda, Jean, Iris, & Adeline Ziniel, and Margie Eidemiller; brothers-in-law, Frank Haider, Henry Olson, Leo Egyhazi, Fred Geiss, Lawrence Geiss, Charles Miska, Herb Ediemiller, and Floyd "James" Baer.

Irene leaves behind her son-in-law, Keith Suchy, Mandan; sons, John Baer and William (Jonda) Baer, Mandan; daughter, Sandra (Dan) Johnson, Bismarck; grandchildren, Sara (Jason) Asbridge, Mona, UT, Bradley (Shila) Suchy, Mandan, Leslie Pearcy, Bismarck, Mark (Laura) Suchy, Severance, CO, Brock Baer and McKenna Baer, both of Mandan, and Erica (Lindsay) Robinson, Gulf Breeze, FL; along with 18 great grandchildren, Skyler (Hannah) Asbridge, Ivy Asbridge (Macoy Fuller), Sadie Asbridge, Isabelle (Nick) Asbridge-Adams, Ethan, Tyler, & Jacob Suchy, Grace, Sophie, & Calvin Thorson, Adelyn and Samuel Pearcy, Hunter, Mia, Jocelyn, & Jonair Suchy, and Morgan and Sydney Robinson; and 4 great-great grandchildren, Robin Asbridge, Ambrose and Aleida Fuller, and Cimarron Adams; sister-in-law, Guyla Sturgeon, Rapid City, SD; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be sent to Mandan Golden Age Services or the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery.

The family invites you for lunch and fellowship at the Mandan Moose Lodge #425, following the burial.