Irene Berg of Napa, CA, died August 11 in Rapid City, South Dakota at the age of 92. After many years in Sonoma and Napa, she had moved to South Dakota in May to be near her family.

Irene Phipps Berg was born December 26, 1923 in Rose Bud, Arkansas. She was the youngest of five children born to William James Phipps and Ida Mae Phipps. She moved to Richmond, California, in July of 1943 and trained as a welder at Mare Island Naval Shipyard. There she met and later married Glenn Austin on March 3, 1944.

Irene worked as a nursing assistant at Parks Victory Hospital in Napa, and was later employed at Napa State Hospital and Sonoma State Hospital, retiring in 1983 after 28 years of service for the State of California. She also spent many happy years as a hostess at the El Dorado Restaurant in Sonoma.

In 1992, Irene married Vernon Berg of St. Helena, California. He preceded her in death in January 2001. Also preceding her in death were her three brothers, Bennie, Grover, and Horace Phipps, and her sister, Lorene Rambo.

Irene was a member of the Church of Christ on First Street in Napa, Molly's Angels, and remained a member of the Loyal Order of Women of the Moose Chapter #776 joining in 1970, in Sonoma.

A memorial gathering will be held at the Church of Christ (2610 First St. in Napa) on Wednesday, September 14, at 2:00 P.M. In lieu of flowers, Irene requested that donations be made to a hospice care organization of your choice.

She is buried in Tulocay Cemetery, Napa, CA.