Irene Orpha Gorla

Irene Orpha Huff was born in Lone Tree, Iowa in 1928, the oldest of seven girls (Jean, Darlene, Beverly, Shirley, Mary Lou, and Joanne) and one brother, Ed. A simple farm girl set out to put her mark on the world, bringing her faith, adventurous spirit and desire to help others. She met the love of her life, Donal Gorla and they married in 1949, settling down in Des Moines Iowa. Irene gave birth to ten children: Dion Gorla (deceased), Marie Palmer (deceased), Donna Balmes, Marcia Elliott, Terry Collum, Brian Gorla, Janice Williamson, Rena Mary Gorla (deceased), Mark Gorla and Arleen Briscoe. Irene was blessed with 24 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren. Don and Irene moved their clan to Phoenix, Arizona in 1969 to start a new career and lives. Irene became a licensed practical nurse (LPN) and worked in private homes and hospitals. She loved her time as a nurse and spoke often about her experiences. Irene's foundation of life was her faith in God and living a life that honored Him. She brought that faith with her strong-willed sense of justice to being a traditional mother that took care of the home and children. She was loving and caring but absolutely not a push over. Irene was honest in her conversation with everyone. She was engaged in the world from a faith filled perspective. She followed politics closely and loved researching information online. Rumor has it she may have been in Facebook jail once or twice Irene was a fighter when her health started to decline, her resilience was an amazing sight and inspiration to her family. Although we mourn Irene's passing, her family knows where she is at, and it is glorious. Her burial on April 9, 2025 is the 75th anniversary of her marriage to Donal Gorla who preceded her in death.