Irene Frances (Bellanger) Adams

Irene Frances (Bellanger) Adams, age 78, of Pine Point, Minnesota began her spiritual journey from her home on Sunday, May 17, 2026.  She was born in the Pine Point Village on the White Earth Reservation on Monday, January 19th, 1948, to Elizabeth (Rock) and John Bellanger.

At the age of 16, Irene took part in the Indian Relocation Program with the Job Corps in Marquette, Michigan.  After high school, Irene moved to Minneapolis and lived with her friend Rexine Adams.  Just so happened that her future husband Alfred “Bobby” was Rexine’s brother.  Together they had two children, Jerry and Nicole.  They lived on the south side of Minneapolis until 1988 when they moved to the rural town of Jordan, MN.  Irene and Bobby were married on June 19th, 1994.  In the late ‘70’s, she was a part of AIM, the American Indian Movement, found time to receive her Administration Degree at AIOIC in Minneapolis, worked as the registrar at the Heart of the Earth Survival School from 1981 to 2001 in southeast Minneapolis, worked at Four Directions until 2004 and continued to work with the SMSC education system until 2009 when she retired. 

Irene enjoyed caring for her family, especially her grandchildren.  She also enjoyed traveling and going for rides.  No matter what, she made it happen, going the extra mile every time.  She did whatever she could to help us find our way, whether it be a push to finish school or grabbing a rope to pull us out of whatever we had gotten into.  She was our hero!  Living up to her might be impossible because she was one of a kind.

Family that Irene is reunited with are her husband Bobby, her son Jerry, parents, Elizabeth and John, grandson Steven, brother Leonard “Boye” and her sisters Christina “Tina”, BettyJo, Beverly, Delores “Dolo”, Katherine, Evelyn Lang, Joan, and Marcy.

She leaves behind her daughter, Nicole (Humberto), grandchildren Trulo (Charlize), Michael, Cruz, Keane, and Cataleya, great grandbabies Brynn, EmmyJo, Giniw, Jerry, and Aerian, sisters Berta, Theresa, Evelyn, Marlene, and Geraldine, numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and her friends.

An overnight wake for Irene will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, May 22nd and continue until her 12:00 p.m. traditional service on Saturday, May 23rd, all being held at the Old Pine Point School in Ponsford, MN.  Her pallbearers are Trulo Adams, Michael Adams, Cruz Adame, Keane Adame, Humberto Adame, and Rex Robbins, Jr.  Her honorary pallbearers are all her sister, grandbabies, great grandbabies, nieces and nephews.  Interment will be in Saint Theodore's Catholic Cemetery in Pine Point, MN immediately following her Saturday service.

Irene’s care has been entrusted to Northern Peace Funeral Home of Walker, MN.  Online condolences for the family may be left at www.northernpeace.com

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