Irene Erika Collard went to be with our Lord on April 23, 2015. She was born in Berlin, Germany in 1931 to Bruno and Hedwig Ziebarth. In 1952 she married Arthur R. Collard, who was serving in the military and stationed in Berlin. In that same year, she moved to the United States where she became a naturalized citizen. Irene and Arthur had three children, Elaine, Mike, and Butch. She has seven grandchildren, James, Cameron, Matthew, Drew, Benjamin, Alex, Erica, and Taylor; and five great-grandchildren.

She was a long time member of the Bethany United Methodist Church in Valley Station, KY.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Arthur, who passed away in 1999; her parents Bruno and Hedwig; and her younger sister, Giesla Tomann of Berlin. She is survived by her brother Bruno Ziebarth, of Berlin, her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

To our mother we bid a very bittersweet farewell and God’s speed. The pain of relinquishing her to our Lord is tempered with the knowledge that her year long struggle is over and her soul is now healthy and free.

Visitation for Irene will be held from 5:00pm to 8:00pm Wednesday, April 29, 2015 at Newcomer Funeral Home – Southwest Chapel (10304 Dixie Hwy). Her funeral ceremony will be conducted at 10:00am Thursday at the funeral home with burial to follow in Mt. Zion Church Cemetery in Beaver Dam, KY.