Irene Frederike Juenthner was born on Aug. 5, 1931, and passed away peacefully on Dec. 11, 2016, at the age of 85 in Laguna Beach.
She is survived by her sister, Trude of Ludwigsburg, Germany; grandchildren, Andrea and Derek Reigel; daughter, Kristine and Rick Reigel (husband); son: Kirk Jeunthner and (girlfriend) Diane; and her husband, Heinz Juenthner, all of Laguna Beach.
Irene was born in Ludwigsburg, Germany, to her parents, Frieda and Albert Gscheidle. In December 1956 she took a big chance to follow her childhood friend Heinz to America. They were married the following January in Buffalo, N.Y. They moved to California in 1959 to start a family. After living in Bellflower and various other locations of Orange County, the family moved back to Germany, where they lived from 1966 to 1972, to allow Mr. Juenthner to pursue his business.
In 1972 the family moved back to California, settling in Laguna Beach. They lived in Bluebird Canyon for a year while building their dream home on the hills of North Laguna.
In her early years, Juenthner excelled at swimming and had many accomplishments at the German national level. She loved cooking and entertaining with family and friends and enjoyed traveling the world. Juenthner loved the beaches in town and later became an avid golfer, spending many days at Mesa Verde Country Club. She adored her children and grandchildren and will be sorely missed by her friends and family.
There will be a private celebration of her life on Dec. 18, 2016. Per Juenthner’s wishes, her ashes will be scattered in a place she loved, the Pacific Ocean off Laguna Beach.
