Irene Gildon, age 82, of Allen, Texas formerly of Rockport, Texas, passed away on September 5, 2021 after a prolonged battle with dementia. Irene was born at home in Runnels County, Texas on May 10, 1939 to Curtis A. Preas and Luberta (Cox) Preas.
She is survived by her son, Matt Gildon and wife, Lisa of Plano, Texas, and her daughter, Kim Lehnhoff and husband Mark of Lake Jackson, Texas; her grandchildren Max, Michael, and McKenna Gildon, and Anna and Jacob Lehnhoff. Sister, Brenda Wells of Novice, Texas, also survives her.
Her parents, sisters Maxine, Vivian, Linda and brothers, Duane, Don, Cecil, Larry, and Terry, and beloved husband M.H. (Pete) Gildon preceded Irene in death.
The fourth child of a farmer/Santa Fe Railroad employee and homemaker, Irene grew up in a small community outside of Coleman, Texas, Silver Valley, and attended Novice ISD, a small, Class B school. Upon high school graduation, she attended Howard Payne University for a year, but returned home to Silver Valley after that year to help her family in the wake of her father’s leukemia diagnosis.
Irene eventually moved to Odessa, Texas to begin work and live with aunts and uncles. While working at a bank, met a City of Odessa employee, Pete Gildon on a couple’s blind date where he was not her date. 6 months later on September 4, 1959, they married in the front room of her family house on Boatwright St. Married for 60 years, they lived a life of many homes across Texas as Pete honed his skills as a city manager. Living in Odessa, Lubbock, Bryan, Kermit, Hobbs, NM, Tulsa, OK, Midland, Portland, Port Lavaca, Sonora and finally settling in Rockport, Texas in 1992.
Irene dedicated her life to her family and was an accomplished homemaker, crafter, gardener, and later after her children were grown, a well-known sales associate at various retail locations in Rockport, most notably at Sundial, Galley Gadgets, and Connections, where she spent many happy days working among her friends and with her customers.
Irene and Pete were members of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Rockport and served in the Castaways ministry. Never one to brag or take credit, Irene worked in many roles throughout her entire life in the care of others, friends and family. She was loving, kind, and a lottery ticket and scratch-off wiz who liked to win prizes. She always looked her best and looked for the best in all others and all situations. As dementia took its toll on her, Pete and Irene moved to Plano/Allen where their son, Matt, cared for them until their passing
A joint memorial service and committal for Irene and Pete will be held at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Rockport, Texas, October 21, 2021 at 11:00 am with Rev. Jim Friedel officiating.