Irene Hente

Irene Hente

Irene Cannon Hente, 89, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, Sept. 4, 2009, at Chateau Girardeau Health Center.

She was born July 27, 1920, in Commerce, Mo., daughter of Jesse Richmond and Alice Loftin Sanders.

Irene and Norval L. Cannon were married Dec. 22, 1945, in Benton, Mo. He died Oct. 21, 1979. She later married Donald Hente on May 1, 1982, in Cape Girardeau.

She was a secretary for University of Missouri Extension Service. Irene was a member of Grace United Methodist Church.

Survivors include her husband, Donald Hente of Cape Girardeau; a daughter, Alice (Dan) Niswonger of Cape Girardeau; a stepson, Martin (Elaine) Hente of Culver City, Calif.; a stepdaughter, Clara Chesebro of Nashville, Tenn.; a brother, Reece (Louise) Sanders of Cape Girardeau; a sister, Jane Thompson of Cape Girardeau; a brother-in-law, Rowland Julian of Cape Girardeau; two sisters-in-law, June Sanders of DeSoto, Mo., Frances Sanders of Cape Girardeau; two grandchildren, Alex Niswonger of Cape Girardeau and Eric (Darby) Niswonger of Chillicothe, Mo.; a great-grandchild, Cash Niswonger; five stepgrandchildren; and three great-stepgrandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Norval L. Cannon; three brothers, Elmer, Garnett and George Sanders; four sisters, Velma Hodgkiss, Lila Bradshaw, Grace Heise and Alice Julian.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Tom Sullenger officiating. Burial will be in Cape County Memorial Park.

Memorial contributions may be given to Grace United Methodist Church.

Online condolences may be made at www.fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.