Irene Rieck

Irene "Sugar" (Hamilton) Rieck, 86, of Brownfield went to be with her Lord on October 8, 2013. She was born October 4, 1927. She passed away in her beloved Brownfield.

Irene was the much-loved daughter of Charles “Chock” Hamilton and Clemmie (Adams) Hamilton and granddaughter of Joseph T. and Laura L. Hamilton, pioneer founding family of Brownfield. When Chock met Irene he said, “Isn’t she a little Sugar.” His name for her stuck. She is preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Annie Letha Hamilton Reeves of Lubbock and her brother Charles Hamilton of Brownfield.

Irene was raised in Brownfield. She attended Brownfield schools and Texas Tech. While at Tech, she met her husband, Chief Warrant Officer, William “Bill” E. Rieck. Bill was career military for 25 years. As an army family for fifteen years, Bill and Irene raised their two daughters, Carolyn Sue Rick Watt and Barbara Lee Rieck ten Brink, in all of Bill’s assigned countries of duty. They lived in San Antonio, Japan, Baltimore, Germany, Arlington, Virginia and retired to Brownfield. Irene taught elementary school wherever their travels took them. Upon Bill’s retirement, she taught in Welch and Brownfield ISD.
Irene was active in many profession organizations including a 45-year member in Delta Kappa Gamma, an honorary educational sorority, Science Teachers Association of Texas, and co-founder of the Texas Council of Elementary Science. While teaching in Brownfield ISD, she won the Muldrow for Excellence in Teaching. Irene was a life-long member of First Baptist Church where she taught Sunday school classes, worked Vacation Bible School, and worked as the FBC Librarian for many years. She was instrumental in establishing the Hamilton Family Park. She was known for her immense energy and creativity sewing beautiful dresses for her daughters, her own fashions for the Officer’s Clubs, and amazing, unique, and personalized quilts for every member of the Hamilton Family. She shared her immense generosity by providing cotton plants to Brownfield Florist for Terry County-themed bouquets and donating flowers to community octogenarians. Her sheer volume of productivity and generosity benefitted the Salvation Army in Lubbock, where she donated at least one quilt per month for ten years. The Terry County Quilt Trail will install two quilt blocks, The Windmill Block and the Schoolhouse Block, in her family’s honor.

Irene is survived by her daughters, Carolyn Sue Rieck Watt of Wichita Falls and grandsons Lieutenant Commander Brian P. Watt, wife Lesley Watt and great grandchildren Luke and Jacob of Point Magoo, California; Shannon M. Watt, wife Linsey and great grandchildren Kaitlyn and Andrew; Dr. Barbara Lee ten Brink, husband H. A. ten Brink, grandson Samuel ten Brink, wife Samantha ten Brink. She is also survived by her sister, Elizabeth “Beth” Hamilton Geron of Brownfield.

Memorial services will be at 11:00 a.m., Friday, October 11, 2013 at First Baptist Church, Brownfield, Texas with Dr. Carl Moman officiating. Burial will be at Terry County Memorial Cemetery under the direction of Brownfield Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to benefit Hamilton Park, Brownfield, Texas.

The family will receive visitors at Brownfield Funeral Home on Thursday evening from 5-7pm, October 10, 2013.