Irene Herlocker

Augustina Irene Herlocker was born Sept. 26, 1930, in Denver to Eulalio Jack Whatley and Amalia Marquez. She was the eldest of 14 children. She attended Sacred Heart primary school and married Henry David Herlocker at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on July 17, 1949. The couple had seven children. and relocated from Denver to California for several years while raising their children, residing in both San Francisco and San Diego. They returned to Denver a few years later, and eventually built their dream home on Inspiration Point, where they hosted many joyous family gatherings and lived well into retirement. Irene worked many years as a receptionist at Traveler's Insurance in Greenwood Village. She was the consummate matriarch of the family, and made family and friends alike feel seen and cared for, always. Her favorite pastime was talking on the phone, always checking in on how everyone was doing. Irene and Henry were married for 65 years prior to his death in 2014. In addition to their seven children, they had 13 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and just last week, Irene became a great-great-grandmother. She was a devout Catholic and prayed the rosary daily until her death.

She is survived by her siblings, Thomas Whatley and his wife Kim Whatley, William "Anthony" Whatley and his wife Delphine Whatley, Stephanie "Diane" Wall and her husband Jeff Wall, Kimberly Castillo and her husband Manuel Castillo, and Terry Martinez; her children, Kathleen Port and her husband Thomas Port, Gail Vecchiarelli, Mark Herlocker and his wife Robbin Herlocker, Melissa Montoya and her husband Toby Montoya, and Pamela Subia; her grandchildren, Adam Vecchiarelli, Josh Vecchiarelli, Matt Vecchiarelli, Sabrina Allie, Derek Henderson, Ryan Herlocker, Renee Herlocker, Vestina Lewis, Alicia Montoya, and Marcus Sosias; great-grandchildren, Madison Domanski, Colton Vecchiarelli, Sophia Vecchiarelli, Violet Vecchiarelli, Henry Vecchiarelli, Sebastian D'Agosta, Adriana D'Agosta, Talan Lewis, Ashton Lewis, Liv Huss, Ayla Huss, Camden Jimenez, and Bowynn Jimenez; and great-great-grandson, Arlo Domanski.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Eulalio Jack Whatley and Amalia Marquez; her husband, Henry Herlocker; her siblings, Manuel Whatley, Juanita Herrera, Louis Whatley, Robert Whatley, Gerald Whatley, Betty Lou Whatley, Lorraine Whatley, and Stephan Whatley; her brother-in-law Frank Martinez, and sister-in-law Lola Anastasia; her children, Lynn Sosias, and Michele Matisse; and her grandchildren, Brandon Montoya, Jason Subia, and Aaron Sosias.

The family will hold private services and Irene's ashes will be inurned with her family in Mt. Olivet Cemetery. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in her name to Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, coloradocoalition.org.