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Frances Irrgang
June 13, 1929 - November 6, 2012
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<div itemprop="description">FRANCES (NEE RABB) IRRGANG <br>1929 - 2012 <br> <br>It is with great sadness that the family of Frances June Irrgang announce her passing at the age of 83, on November 6, 2012 at Roseview Manor, after a long and debilitating illness. Born on June 13, 1929, she was the first child of Francis (Frank) Rabb and Violet (nee Seaman) Rabb. <br> <br>From a very early age, she showed great talent in music and acting, and starred, amongst other roles, as the famous “Betty Boop” in one of the late Fern Hacquoil’s dance recitals. To the end of her days, Fran was a “Betty Boop” fan and collector, which was only equaled by her interest in anything to do with Mickey Mouse. <br> <br>In her early adult years, she was a dedicated member of the late Mabel Airth’s “Lydian Ladies Choir”, and more recently a devoted and long-time member of the Lakehead Symphony Chorus - from 1976 until illness forced her to give up singing in the early 2000’s. <br> <br>Her formal education began at Prospect Avenue Public School, followed by 5 years at P.A.C.I., from which she graduated in 1946. She then spent a year at North Bay Normal School (later renamed North Bay Teacher’s College, which is now part of Nipissing University). Later, she achieved a B.A. from Lakehead University. <br> <br>She began her teaching career in 1948, at Claude Garton (Current River) School, where she taught Grade One. Shortly after, the Port Arthur School Board initiated Kindergarten Classes throughout the city, and Frances was one of the first teachers chosen for this new venture. She taught Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten at various schools before becoming an itinerate Music Teacher as part of the P.A. Board’s Music Department. <br> <br>In October 1953, she was married to Hans Siegmund Tursas who, early in their marriage, was killed in a work related accident at Husky Oil. She later married Richard Otto Irrgang in December 1959. Both marriages took place in Trinity United Church, of which she was a life time member. <br> <br>She left teaching for a few years following her second marriage to raise two children: a son, Richard Francis, born in 1963, and a daughter, Heidi Margaret, born in 1965. She eventually went back to teaching Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten for the Catholic School Board, at St. Ann’s and Holy Family Catholic Schools. She retired from teaching from Holy Family Catholic School in June of 1990. <br> <br>During her retirement years, along with her music interests, she was an enthusiastic bridge player and traveller, going on a number of boat cruises with her “bridge cronies” to such places as Alaska, Hawaii and the Mediterranean. With her husband Richard and family, she made several trips to Germany to visit Richard’s relatives. <br> <br>She leaves to mourn her passing, her two children Richard and Heidi, five grandchildren: grandsons Devon, Alex, Dallas and Austin, along with one granddaughter Carly; her younger sister Jennifer Rhine (all of Thunder Bay); her brother and sister-in-law Horst and Ruth Irrgang of Red Deer, Alberta; nephew Cameron Irrgang and niece Sieglinde Jan and numerous cousins in Canada the U.S.A. and Germany. <br> <br>She was predeceased by her two husbands Hans Tursas and Richard Irrgang, her parents Frank and Violet Rabb, her brother-in-law George Rhine, her cousin Doug Hall and all of her uncles and aunts. <br> <br>In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the Alzheimer’s Society. <br></div>