Irene Tebbs

Irene Henrie Tebbs was born September 7, 1943, in Panguitch, Utah to Ruth Heywood and Nathaniel Orald Henrie. She died suddenly in her home on August 30, 2026, in Cedar City, Utah. She wrote this obituary and she wrote that sentence too – with all but the date! This has been updated by her children. Irene grew up and graduated from high school in Panguitch. She married Richard Ray Tebbs in 1962 in the Manti Temple. Their home was blessed with eight children. Irene attended BYU for three years before moving to Cedar City. She graduated from SUU after her eighth child was born. The family also lived in Potsdam, New York and Eugene and Corvallis, Oregon. She was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where she served on Stake Relief Society and MIA (now Young Women’s) boards, and she was president of the ward Relief Society and served in Primary and Mutual (now Young Women’s) on the ward level. She served in the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah teaching reading, served with her husband in the Addiction Recovery program, solidifying her belief in the power of the Savior to change us, and then served a full-time mission with her husband in the London England mission. She just completed a missionary commitment to a family service missionary in June. When she accepted that commitment two years ago, she said, “Well, now I know I’ll live at least another two years.” She loved music and held various music positions in the church as well as teacher in different organizations. MANY scouts went through the scouting program with her as their leader in their younger years. In the 25 years since this was written she has traveled the world with her husband, children and grandchildren just as she did earlier with her mother and sisters. She loved handwork and has tatted booties for her great grandchildren, recently finishing the pair for the one on the way. She loved to watch BYU sports and if there was a football or basketball game on, she was either watching it at her house or with her cousin and lifelong friend Lorraine Houston Kurtz at her house. She was fascinated with bricks and the pioneer houses in Panguitch that used them. She was a researcher and recently turned her research over to her grandnephew to carry on. She just returned from Education Week, which she has enjoyed over the years. Mostly she was fascinated with life! She loved birds, flowers, rocks, music, ukuleles (and singing with the Ukulele Ladies), people, quilting and smocking and has created many memories for her family around these things. She is survived by daughters Marilyn (Steve) Bennett of Washoe Valley, Nevada; Christine (Kent) LeFevre of Carson City, NV; Kathryn (Brad) Hunter of Syracuse, Utah; Barbara (Cary) Leavitt of Bountiful, Utah; Holly (Gregory) Wilkinson of Springville, Utah; and sons Bruce (Eva) of Enoch, Utah; Robert (Alycia) of Las Vegas, Nevada; and Brian (Jennifer) of Woods Cross, Utah. She is also survived by 32 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren (with one on the way). She was preceded in death by her husband, two grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by her parents and all of her brothers and sisters and their spouses. She was the last of her generation in her family. Funeral services will be held Monday, September 7, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 725 S. 1100 W. Cedar City, Utah. Viewings will be held on Sunday, September 6, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. and again prior to services on Monday, September 7, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. at the same location. Graveside Services will follow at 3:30 p.m. in the Panguitch City Cemetery, Panguitch, Utah.