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Irmgard Hertlein Divine
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At the age of 95, Irmgard Hertlein Divine passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by loved ones.  Irm had soft blue eyes and an inquisitive mind and she will be missed by all those she touched in her long and productive life.  She was an excellent listener and generous with her encouragement and support.  With a true spirt of service to others, she was active in boy scouts, girl scouts, PTA, her church, civil and social groups in addition to the years she worked as a nurse for the Army, for Headstart, and for Hospice.  She was instrumental in establishing the Eastside Community Hospice in 1983 to serve Oakdale and surrounding communities.

   She was born in Oakland CA, the first child of German immigrants Henry and Magda Hertlein.  Her youth was spent on the family’s chicken ranch in Castro Valley, CA.  She learned to speak English in kindergarten.  After graduating from Hayward High she completed a three year nursing program at Highland Hospital in Oakland in 1941.  She was encouraged by a teacher to enlist in the Army Nurse Corps for a one year commitment.  Shortly after enlisting, Pearl Harbor was bombed, and all nurses were in the Army for the duration of the war.  Stationed at Camp Roberts near Paso Robles, she achieved the rank of Captain

 and was a surgical nurse.  During that time she met and later married Robert Divine (Lt. Colonel) from Colorado.  After the war they lived briefly in Pueblo, CO before Bob re-enlisted and they became an Army family.  She had four children to whom she offered unconditional love, support and guidance.

   Her life as a military wife brought challenges that she met with courage, and brought opportunities that she used to make her family’s life interesting and rewarding.  She made homes for her family in North Carolina, Japan, Oklahoma, Colorado, Wisconsin, Alaska and California.  She made new friends and found new places to volunteer wherever she found herself.  Her life was one of consistent quiet achievement.  A devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, she was a woman who asked little for herself, but was known for her compassion and generosity to others.  She never lost faith in anyone.

   Throughout her life Irm maintained a variety of interests.  She loved to paint, to garden, to read, to sew and to travel.  Her artistic ability and eye for beauty was apparent in her home, her attire, her creations, and her garden.  She had a green thumb and every one of her homes boasted healthy plants inside and out.

   She was pre-deceased by husbands Robert Divine and Ed Schleiger, and brother Henry Hertlein (Mary).  She is survived by her sister Helen Millen (Harold) and brother Norman Hertein (Shirley); children Fred (Vicky), Peg (Patrick), Bob (Vicki) and Doug (Vicki); grandchildren Chandra, Jonah, Brandi, Mahlon, Michael, Casey, Seth, Matt, Dusty, Nick, Luke and Jesse; and great-grandchildren, Jacob, Morgan, Bailey, Nicole, Delphine, Grace, Atlas, Jaxson and James.  She will also be missed by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

   She has left a light in our hearts forever…

   Memorial Services will be Saturday, October 18 at 12pm, St. Matthias Church, 101 S 1st Ave, Oakdale CA ,  a reception will immediately follow.