Irene Lillian Ther Watt, age 91, a resident of Windsor Park in Carol Stream, IL, passed away on Saturday, June 29, 2019, at home.  She was born December 4, 1927 in Oak Park, IL to Eugene and Ethel Ther.

Irene graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in journalism, and served as the yearbook editor.  She later earned a Master's Degree in Educational Women's Ministries from Wheaton College.  She married Phillip H. Watt in 1950 and they raised a family in Oak Park, IL.

Irene was an active member of Judson Baptist Church in Oak Park where she taught Sunday School and VBS and served as Vacation Bible School Director for several years. She loved creating scripts for VBS puppet shows as well as church plays and Christmas programs. She enjoyed singing in the church choir with Phil and many others who stayed lifelong friends.

Irene worked as a substitute teacher at Oak Park River Forest High School and did writing and editing for several Christian publications. She loved figure skating, teaching and serving as director of the Oak Park Park District Figure Skating Program. Irene also served as a teaching leader for Bible Study Fellowship for many years.

Throughout her life, Irene was actively involved in volunteering her time, from serving with prison ministries and refugee support to manning phones as a counselor for the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College. She traveled to Russia, The Czech Republic and Hungary with CRU (Campus Crusade) educating teachers on how to incorporate character building into their teaching and also worked on AIDS education in Nakuru, Kenya. She loved sharing her love of Jesus Christ and did so at every opportunity no matter where she was.

She is survived by her children, Dr. David (Juli) Watt of Wheaton, and Ruth (Eric) Watt Macadam Berger of New Market, New Hampshire, her grandchildren, Erin Noelle (Glenn) Watt Fields, David Edward (Amanda) Macadam, Meghan Jeanine (Oliver Sneyd) Watt, and Daniel Robert Macadam and two great grandchildren, Elias Avery Macadam and Harrison Glenn Fields. She was preceded in death by her husband, Phillip Howard Watt, her parents and her brother, Eugene Robert Ther.

A visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 9, 2019 from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St., Wheaton. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, July 10,  at 1:00 p.m. at Windsor Park. Private interment will be held at Wheaton Cemetery.

Memorial gifts may be directed to CRU, 100 Lake Hart Dr., Orlando, FL 32832, Wheaton College, 501 College Ave., Wheaton, IL 60187 or College Church, 332 E. Seminary Ave., Wheaton, IL 60187.

Family and friends may sign a guest book at hultgrenfh.com . For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027