Irene A. Gage
March, 1933 - January 13, 2015

Mary Irene Atkinson Gage passed from this existence to join with her parents Melvin Sweeten Atkinson and Mary Pauline Humpherys Atkinson, her brother Robert James Atkinson and her eldest daughter Mary Dawn Gage on January 13, 2015, in Provo, Utah.

She was born in March of 1933 in Ogden, Utah.

Irene spent her growing up years at the family ranch in Holbrook, Idaho, where she was her fathers hired hand during WWII, learning to operate the heavy farm equipment and loving every minute of this work.

The family moved to Malad, Idaho, where Irene graduated from Malad High School with many rich opportunities as a piano accompanist, band member, and choir member. Music was a family tradition.

Irene served as Sunday School pianist at age 14 and was a ward or Sunday School organist almost continuously until the time of her death.

She served in various capacities in every church organization and especially loved teaching assignments. One of her favorite assignments was as a Curriculum Writer for the Primary General Board of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Irene attended BYU where she met and married Donald C. Gage. Later divorced.

She spent 17 years living in Bakersfield, California, where she again was active in music serving as an accompanist at the local high school for 5 years.

She attended Cal-State, Bakersfield and then she and her children returned to Provo, Utah, where she finished her education at BYU with an Elementary Education degree, and immediately began teach at Rock Canyon Elementary for 25 years, where she made lifelong friends with students, staff and faculty teaching members.

Following her retirement she became involved in genealogy and family history and finished the biographies of her father and mother.

She enjoyed her membership in the D.U.P. organization.

She loved and admired her family and they were the focus of her life. She loved her role of Grandmother.

She is survived by her children, Sharon Gage Martin and Donald Brent Gage, his wife Laura. She also has (7) Grandchildren, David, Megan and (Rich) Case, Brent, Jennifer and (Kapena) Clark, Jordan, Ryan and Mikaela, (2) Great-Grandsons, Brody and Kai.

Also survived by her siblings, Shirley and John Beagley, Tooele; Wayne and Jan Atkinson, Fairview; Nola and Robert Taylor, Provo; Ruth and Ron Kendrick, Ogden. She loved her nieces and nephews and enjoyed a loving friendship with them. A niece by marriage, Kathy (Clive) Winn, was a special friend.

A visitation will be held at Walker Sanderson Provo, 85 East 300 South, Friday, January 16, 2015, from 6-8 p.m.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 17, 2015, at 1:00 p.m. at the Bonneville 13th Ward Chapel, 1498 East 800 South, Provo.

Friends may visit with the family Saturday, from 11:45-12:45 p.m. at the church.

Burial will be at the Provo City Cemetery.