Obituary for Dr. Irene Margareta Thorelli

Although she was born in Stockholm, Irene grew up outside of New York City and in Chicago. Her parents met at Northwestern University, but both received their doctorate degrees from the University of Stockholm, in Sweden. She spent many wonderful summers in Sweden with her brother and three cousins on her paternal grandparents' farm, located near Stockholm.

Irene spent one year of high school at the University of Chicago Laboratory School, one year at the College de Bethusy in Lausanne, Switzerland, and her final year at the University High School in Bloomington, Indiana. She graduated from high school just after turning sixteen years of age. She graduated from Indiana University (Bloomington) with her Bachelor’s degree and from University of Texas (Austin) with her Master’s degree and her Doctorate’s degree in Psychology. She co-authored many journal articles and presented papers at many professional meetings during her time in graduate school.

She was a Research Associate as a graduate student, in addition to being a consultant to the Texas Adult Probation Commission relating to "shock" probation, an experimental program instituted in the hopes of reducing recidivism. Soon after obtaining her PhD, she joined both the American Psychological Association and the American Educational Research Association, memberships she continued until her passing. Both her Master’s thesis and her Doctoral dissertation were focused on the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization, assessing the interaction between the Big Brother/Big Sister and their Little Brother/Little Sister to lengthen the overall time commitment of the adult role models and to help social workers create matches most likely to succeed.

After teaching for two years at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, Irene moved to La Crosse in 1985. She was a Professor in the College of Business at University of Wisconsin (La Crosse). Once her children were born in 1990 and 1992, she spent time raising them. Her son, Michael Kenneth Thorelli, and daughter, Roxanne Nicole Thorelli, were the focus of her life from the moment of their conception until her passing.

Irene was very active in the La Crosse community, serving on various committees and fundraisers at Hintgen Elementary School, Longfellow Middle School, and Central High School. She also worked on several committees for the School District of La Crosse, including District Wide Parents. She was the Secretary for the Coulee Region Transitional Housing Committee starting in 2000 and volunteered for many community service organizations. Staring in 2006, she delivered meals for Mobile Meals for many years along with ringing bells for the Salvation Army. She also helped with Rotary Lights. She was recognized for her efforts in the community when she received the Coulee Region Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award in 2016.

Irene was active in La Crosse County 4-H and in her children's club, the Mormon Coulee 4-H Club. Both children received Legislative Citations in this youth group. Her daughter achieved the highest award in 4-H, which is the State Key Award. She was her daughter's Leader as a Juliette during her last years in Girl Scouts, helping her achieve the Gold Award. She helped her son work through the ranks of Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, obtaining his Arrow of Light, God and Me Award, and later his Eagle Scout Rank. Irene became involved with the La Crosse County Fair for many years, serving as Superintendent and in several other roles each summer.

Irene was a long-time member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, where both her children were baptized and later confirmed. She served on the Altar Guild and participated in many Bible Study and adult education programs there over the years, through Pastor Herder, Pastor Lampert, and Pastor Bringsjord. Irene was the Chairperson of the Altar Guild from 2017-2021.

At the time of her passing, her son is an Adult Basic Education Teacher at Wisconsin Resource Center in Oshkosh, having graduated from Luther College in May 2012 with a Bachelor’s degree. Her daughter is an Attorney with Fredrikson & Byron, P.A. in Minneapolis, having graduated from University of Minnesota Law School in May 2017 with her Doctorate’s degree and from University of Wisconsin (Eau Claire) in May 2014 with her Bachelor’s degree.

Irene is survived by her son, Michael Kenneth Thorelli (Hannah) and her daughter, Roxanne Nicole Thorelli; by her brother, Thomas (Norma) Thorelli; by her granddaughter, Olive Irma Irene Thorelli; by her niece, Annika Lucia Thorelli; by her two nephews, David Bowes and Erik Thorelli; by her cousins in Sweden, Per Rundgren, Anders (Josseline) Rundgren and their children, Viktor, Vincent, and Sebastian; and Gunnar Rundgren and Ann-Helen Meyer and their son, Kolbjorn (Kajsa) Orjavik and children Isis and Meja. A special family member in Sweden is Cecilia Thorelli Jonasson, a beloved second cousin.

Irene was predeceased in death by her parents, Hans Birger and Sarah Virginia Scott Thorelli, both of Bloomington, Indiana; by her aunt and uncle, Margareta and Frithiof Rundgren, both of Uppsala, Sweden; and by all her mother’s siblings, Mary Elizabeth, Catherine, Ruth, Samuel, and Thomas Scott, all from the Atlanta, Georgia or Winston-Salem, North Carolina areas. Her aunt, Margareta Rundgren, was a special family member for Irene.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, April 25, 2025 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church at 4141 Mormon Coulee Road, La Crosse. A visitation will be held at 9:00 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11:00 a.m., officiated by Pastor Harald Bringsjord, and luncheon to follow the service. A funeral procession and burial will occur at Oak Grove Cemetery thereafter. Burial arrangements are being handled by Fredrickson Funeral Homes and Crematory.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, La Crosse.