Isabel "Isy" Marie O'Rourke
Isabel "Isy" Marie O'Rourke, age 96, of Belle Fourche passed away peacefully on November 23, 2016 at the Belle Estate in Belle Fourche.
Isabel (Isy) Marie O'Rourke was born on February 9, 1920 in Meadow, South Dakota to William J and Rosa (Staudenraus) O'Rourke. Losing her mother at an early age, Isabel stayed home to care for her siblings and help her father with the family farm until his passing in 1940. After his death Isabel was then charged with keeping the farm and family running until all of her siblings graduated high school.
In 1955, she took the train to the end of the line and settled in Tacoma, WA where she lived for the next 59 years. She held various positions; clerical and bookkeeping for Gold Seal Chinchillas INC; clerical at Raleigh, Mann & Powell (Insurance and Real Estate Firm) before finding her calling as a legal assistant for two prominent Pierce County judges. She proudly worked for them for 30 years retiring at the young age of 82!
Isabel had many hobbies. She was an avid bowler and continued to bowl well into her 80's with her traveling league winning numerous tournaments and awards. Travel was something she truly enjoyed and took numerous cruises to Alaska as well as visiting Ireland on multiple occasions. However her true passion was for the arts. She loved music and sang original compositions while playing her guitar. With as much as she loved music, her true artistic talent really showed through in her art. She was a gifted landscape painter as well as sketching many lifelike animals.
She considered one of her biggest highlights to be working the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle and loved to tell stories of the excitement and people that came along with that once in a lifetime opportunity.
Exercise was something that Isabel truly enjoyed and she could often be found taking long walks along the Puget Sound where she would listen to her favorite meadowlarks serenading her journey.
Isy will be missed dearly by her Brother, Cornelius O'Rourke; Sister, Rose Seiler; Nephews, Rock (Carla) O'Rourke, Shane (Angie) Kolb, Terry Seiler, Tom Seiler, Greg Seiler, Jeff (Dawn) Seiler; Nieces, Ranee (Jody) Turner, Angela (Ryan) Williams, Gladys (Bob) Jackson, Lorraine (Douglas) Decker, Janet (Joe) Mollman, Connie (Jeff) Maier, Jane Schwagler, and Kristi (Jim) Lane and numerous great nephews and nieces.
She was preceded in death by; Parents - William and Rosa O'Rourke; Brothers, William, Robert, Lawrence, Daniel and Silas and sister, Patricia Kolb.
The family wishes to thank; the devoted staff at Belle Estates and Dr. Deb Kullerd and her associate Karen Bryan.
Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10:00 am, Wednesday, November 30 at the Church.
An online guest book is available at klinefuneralchapel.com
