Iris B. Parraguirre Obituary - The Reno Journal-Gazette and Mason Valley News

2022-05-14 22:01:12 By : Ms. Suri Yu

Born Iris Mae Bleick in Elgin, ND on August 20, 1930, Iris passed away peacefully at home on May 7, 2022, in Las Vegas, NV. For a depression-era farm girl, she had a full and adventurous life.

After the death of her mother when she was 7 years old, she helped raise her three younger siblings. This planted the seed and the desire to nurture her own children and extended family throughout her life.

Iris graduated Valedictorian of Elgin High School in 1948. She was smart, pretty, hard-working and fiercely loyal. Her mother wrote in her baby book that she could count to ten at 5 months old, clearly foreshadowing her many remarkable talents. After graduation, she left the farm for Rapid City, SD and enrolled in the National School of Business and graduated with a diploma in Senior Secretarial and Office Machines. From there, she moved to Denver and worked for the Westinghouse Electric Corporation. She took a second job as a hostess at a local diner, where she met her future husband, Paul C. Parraguirre and his two brothers, David and Lorin who were all attending law school. While the trio were in law school, it is said that the earnings from her second job kept them all afloat. Paul and Iris married in 1953 and moved to Bridgeport, CA near the Parraguirre family ranch. From there, the couple relocated to Reno, NV, where Iris managed the law offices of Paul and his brothers. In 1963, Paul accepted a job in the District Attorney's office in Clark County, so the family made what was to be a temporary move to Las Vegas. As life happens, they remained there, and she became active in her new community participating in the Mesquite Club, Clark County Attorney's Wives, and The Lions Club. She and Paul enjoyed entertaining and hosting their many new friends.

Always wanting to better herself and further a career, Iris attended Truckee Meadows Community College as well as Clark County Community College. She went on to become known as one of the state's first Paralegals. She was proud to have nurtured and trained many young attorneys and was widely admired and respected in the legal community for her knowledge and work ethic.

Iris was a jack of all trades, and there was nothing she couldn't do. She was a master gardener, bricklayer, home builder/renovator and seamstress. She was equally comfortable in overalls installing sprinkler systems as she was in an apron baking and cooking, or a ball gown entertaining. She even had a short-lived career as a cattle-rancher. She loved ballroom, square and line dancing, fishing, camping, bowling and playing bridge and canasta. Above all, family was the most important thing to her. She provided a second home for her nieces and nephews and loved them dearly. Never an animal lover, she begrudgingly accepted cats, dogs, ducks, geese, pigs, cows, mice, hamsters, a peacock, and whatever creature her children happened to bring home. There is nothing she wouldn't do for her kids.

Iris is survived by children Paul (Colin), Ron and Kathy (Jack), sister Veryl Roth (Dennis), half-sister Betty Luke, grandchildren Jilliann Parraguirre and Micala Holtzman, and great-grandchildren Olive and Knox Holtzman, as well as many beloved nieces and nephews across the country.

A celebration in honor of Iris will be conducted at a later time at the Parraguirre family ranch that she enjoyed and cherished for so many of her years.

Born Iris Mae Bleick in Elgin, ND on August 20, 1930, Iris passed away peacefully at home on May 7, 2022, in Las Vegas, NV. For a depression-era farm girl, she had a full and adventurous life.

After the death of her mother when she was 7 years old, she helped raise her three younger siblings. This planted the seed and the desire to nurture her own children and extended family throughout her life.

Iris graduated Valedictorian of Elgin High School in 1948. She was smart, pretty, hard-working and fiercely loyal. Her mother wrote in her baby book that she could count to ten at 5 months old, clearly foreshadowing her many remarkable talents. After graduation, she left the farm for Rapid City, SD and enrolled in the National School of Business and graduated with a diploma in Senior Secretarial and Office Machines. From there, she moved to Denver and worked for the Westinghouse Electric Corporation. She took a second job as a hostess at a local diner, where she met her future husband, Paul C. Parraguirre and his two brothers, David and Lorin who were all attending law school. While the trio were in law school, it is said that the earnings from her second job kept them all afloat. Paul and Iris married in 1953 and moved to Bridgeport, CA near the Parraguirre family ranch. From there, the couple relocated to Reno, NV, where Iris managed the law offices of Paul and his brothers. In 1963, Paul accepted a job in the District Attorney's office in Clark County, so the family made what was to be a temporary move to Las Vegas. As life happens, they remained there, and she became active in her new community participating in the Mesquite Club, Clark County Attorney's Wives, and The Lions Club. She and Paul enjoyed entertaining and hosting their many new friends.

Always wanting to better herself and further a career, Iris attended Truckee Meadows Community College as well as Clark County Community College. She went on to become known as one of the state's first Paralegals. She was proud to have nurtured and trained many young attorneys and was widely admired and respected in the legal community for her knowledge and work ethic.

Iris was a jack of all trades, and there was nothing she couldn't do. She was a master gardener, bricklayer, home builder/renovator and seamstress. She was equally comfortable in overalls installing sprinkler systems as she was in an apron baking and cooking, or a ball gown entertaining. She even had a short-lived career as a cattle-rancher. She loved ballroom, square and line dancing, fishing, camping, bowling and playing bridge and canasta. Above all, family was the most important thing to her. She provided a second home for her nieces and nephews and loved them dearly. Never an animal lover, she begrudgingly accepted cats, dogs, ducks, geese, pigs, cows, mice, hamsters, a peacock, and whatever creature her children happened to bring home. There is nothing she wouldn't do for her kids.

Iris is survived by children Paul (Colin), Ron and Kathy (Jack), sister Veryl Roth (Dennis), half-sister Betty Luke, grandchildren Jilliann Parraguirre and Micala Holtzman, and great-grandchildren Olive and Knox Holtzman, as well as many beloved nieces and nephews across the country.

A celebration in honor of Iris will be conducted at a later time at the Parraguirre family ranch that she enjoyed and cherished for so many of her years.