Irene Elizabeth Baggerman

Hello. Its Irene, I received that call today, ­­November 6, 2020, from my Lord saying it was time to come home, as many family and friends have waited patiently for me to arrive long enough. I hated to leave the rest of you behind, but I am now home waiting for your arrival.… funny that I now Irene will wait on you, but oh how happy I will be to see you again. I left quietly and at peace. I was aware that due to the restrictions of 2020 and Coronavirus, visits and final goodbyes made it hard on many to visit these last several months and I understood, many words may be left unsaid but I know I was loved and I sure hope you all know how much I loved each of you. The last time I saw many of you were happy times and that is the best memory to have anyway. No goodbyes needed just know I plan on seeing you again.

As you read this, I want you all to remember I loved life, I loved people, “All” people, and I loved to care for people (except this one man that nearly broke my back one shift who refused to help me when I had to lift him, but I guess I loved him as well because I did not drop him on the floor so there’s that- I know many of you know this story because I could never let it go. I keep telling myself that he is the reason I found myself stuck in this bed these last several months). I loved my lifelong friends I worked with for years and with the people I also cared for, also caring for the children who found themselves in terrible situations, while reflecting back on my time, I hope they knew that  some “Aunt Irene” showed them kindness and love. I often just introduced myself as just “Aunt Irene”.

I loved to party, have a reason to enjoy each day, and to go and be entertained. I loved taking friends to family events, going camping, music, animals, decorating cakes, children and attending church events. The years of wonderful neighbors and neighborhood children that would come by to visit and as of late Carston and Clayton especially coming to read to me when I was no longer able to get outside and those who would see that the outside got brought in to me.

Most everyone knows I loved gathering all kinds of things, not just friends but trinkets, you just name it. If life was able to be lived large, I wanted to try, do it, have it and I did my very best to carry it out, some would say I did it my way and never plan on rushing or anger me and that’s OK.

I, Irene Elizabeth Baggerman, was number 9 of 11 children born December 14,1941, in Gray County on the farm to John Baggerman and Odell Stokes Baggerman. I always treasured my family, and quickly found my place in line helping and working on the family farm, doing what the girls must do as I grew up.

I attended Grandview Community School and was a graduate of Pampa High School. l continued my education, becoming an LVN nurse where I spent my life caring and loving for many. I was always grateful for the love and encouragement that Mr. and Mrs. Mormon showed me to follow a dream to become a nurse and to care for others.  As a lifelong career nurse, I spent a few years at the Groom hospital, and many years at BSA. I cherished my lifelong friends I worked with and the people I met along the way while living in the Grandview Area (farm), Groom, Amarillo and Claude.

I found comfort knowing that now I guess in these twilight years I had made an impression on one gentleman who I encountered that my Amarillo home was to be used as a Private Assistant Living Home for Elderly people to live in and be cared for.  They were going to call it” Irene’s Home”, so in some way I am happy to say I will still be looking after people long after I, myself, took up residency in the clouds.

I was preceded in death by my parents; two brothers, Johnny Baggerman and Vernon Baggerman; three sisters, Caroline “Sissy” Couts, Mildred Miller and Margret Whatley, 4 nephews Larry, Carl, Isaac, and Darrell 3 nieces Charlet, Juanita and Geneva.

I am survived by one sister, Roselle Collingsworth of Pampa; four brothers, Ruben Baggerman of Groom, Nace Baggerman of Claude, Franklin Baggerman of Lubbock and James Baggerman of Mount Pleasant; my dear to me nieces and nephews; Betty, John Perry, Bill, Linda, Marilyn, Joe, Clint, Janneice, Charley, Wesley, Sharron, Ernest, Peggy, Medina, Rodger, Margie, Teresa, John Mark, Debbie, Sharlene, Sheila, Gena, Gigi, Monica, Andrea, Eric, Amy, Brian, John C , Kevin, Justin, Suzan, Bobby, John B, Lisa, Kathy, Mary and my Truest of all Friends Sue Wills of Groom to which I loved and adored.

I ask to express publicly a Special thanks to Doctor Stevens and his nurse Charlene for the years of loving care shown, Dr. Gowdagere and the Interim Home Health and Hospice doctors, nurses, Chaplin, and staff, for the care given. The Methodist Church of Claude and Rhea Bullock and sweet family. There are so many to thank throughout the years for just loving me and you know who you all are. Thank you, sweet Eva, for being not just my helper but a friend to me and family. And most of all, to Sadie and Madie, how could I ever be able to express my gratitude for you sharing your home and time with me during such a busy time in your own life. I enjoyed being a part of it all until my end here with you. You are both so kind, and such good helpers. I was always amazed by your compassion. Now hopefully I will now get to be a real Guardian Angel. Until I see you again, know that I loved you more than ever could be written on paper.

*Due to the current situation a celebration of life service will be scheduled later when the risk is not so great of people getting sick. Irene longed from her very own bed the desire to be well enough to help her fellow healthcare workers one more time. She requested we honor her simply by not adding more cases to her overly taxed professionals during this time. In lieu of flowers please donate to a Children’s Home, Women’s Shelter or Charity of your choosing.