Irene Nilson, age 89 of Alcester, South Dakota died July 22, 2007 at Morningside Care Center in Alcester. Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. Friday, July 27, 2007 at Alcester Baptist Church. Visitation will be Thursday from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at Wass Funeral Home in Alcester. The family will be present from 6:00-8:00 p.m.; there will be a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. Irene Christine Nilson was born October 9, 1917 to Peter and Carrie (Hansen) Langeland at home in Turner County, South Dakota. She attended country school in District 64 and the Augustana Academy in Canton, SD. During and after her high school days Irene worked at the New Deal Bakery in Canton. Irene moved to California and worked at Albert Sheetz Restaurant as assistant manager. She returned to Sioux Falls and worked at Lemons Restaurant where she worked as a hostess from the time it opened until it closed June 16, 1956. Irene was united in marriage to E. W. Nilson in Alcester, SD. After they married they owned and operated the Nilson Funeral Home until 1971. E. W. Nilson died in 1971 and Irene continued to work at the funeral home until she retired in 1983. She has continued to make her home in Alcester since that time. Survivors include three sons, Thomas (Janet) of Phoenix, AZ, Robert of Sioux Falls, SD and Bruce of Fergus Falls, MN; one brother, Merle (Glennis) Langeland of Viborg, SD; two granddaughters, Jody K. (John) Nilson-Dickey of Vadnais Heights, MN and Holly A. (Wade) Nilson-Noack of Grand Forks, ND; one grandson, Bret W. (Junko) Nilson of San Francisco, CA; seven great-grandchildren, Ian Noack, Ali Noack, Abby Noack, Benton Nilson, Keenan Nilson, Maggie Dickey and Jack Dickey. Her parents, husband, one daughter, two brothers, one sister-in-law, Agnes and one daughter-in-law, Rudi preceded her in death.