Irean Catherine Lucas Anderson

Irean Catherine Lucas Anderson, beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend passed away peacefully on August 30, 2019.  She is now with her husband of sixty-two years, her parents, and other family members with whom she anxiously anticipated a joyous reunion.  Funeral services will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, September 7th.  Viewing will be from 9:00am to 10:30am on that same morning.  Viewing and funeral services will be at the Falcon Ridge Ward – 1325 East Cherry Lane, Layton, UT 84040.  Interment will be at the Lakeside Cemetery in Bountiful.
Irean was born on February 19, 1935, in Pontiac, Michigan, to William John Lucas and Eva Mae Legg Lucas.  She was the middle child, younger sister to Lorraine, and older sister to Pat.  She often spoke of her blissful childhood, never feeling that growing up during the Depression and World War II caused her to miss out on anything.  She was a daddy’s girl who loved skating, ice skating, and dancing with her friends.  Her childhood was simple with two main rules: “stay out of trouble” and “be in when the street-lights come on.”
While in high school, she met John Anderson, who would become the love of her life.  They married on January 26, 1952, and soon left Michigan for opportunities on the West Coast.  They settled in Southern California where they raised a family of six children.  Over the years, that family has grown to include nineteen grandchildren and twenty-nine great grandchildren.  Irean’s family was the absolute joy of her life. Rare were the visits with her when she didn’t spend a good deal of time sharing the latest news about them.
She was a stay-at-home mom until her youngest child began school.  She then began her professional career working in sales and promotions for Movieland Wax Museum and Medieval Times in Buena Park, California.  Her outgoing personality was perfectly suited for the many parties, celebrations, and other events that she hosted. She also owned and managed Mr. Deli in Hawaiian Gardens during the 1980’s.  This cultivated in her children a lifelong love of pastrami, corned beef, and kosher pickles.
After John’s retirement in 1993, Irean and John moved to Utah where they spent the rest of their lives.  They traveled frequently, going on many cruises and returning home to Michigan often.  But Irean’s true happy place was Hawaii.  She loved everything about the islands – the food, the music, the beaches, the people.  On one very special trip in February of 2000, Irean and John were sealed to one another in the Laie Hawaii Temple.  She would often say: “If you want to fall in love again, take a trip to Hawaii.  It’s the most romantic place on earth.”
For several years Irean served in the Ogden temple.  She loved her work there and felt that her two greatest accomplishments in life were her family and the work that she did in the temple.  While working there, she made many life-long friends.
In all of her adventures, Irean had a unique knack for developing deep and lasting friendships.  She was fun-loving, gregarious, and always the life of the party.  We are so blessed to have been a part of her wonderful life.
Thank you for the love, the support, the generosity, and the fun that you always shared with others.  We will miss you for now, but we know that we will be together again.