Obituary of Tiny Ireland

Joyce “Tiny” Ireland passed away April 22, 2023, in Mountain Home, Idaho at 76 years of age.

Tiny was born in Boise, Idaho on May 18, 1946. She was the fourth child to be born to Thelma and Hank Rubelt. She was raised on the Star Ranch on Juniper Mountain. The Rubelt family had their very own school teacher in a one room school up until Tiny reached 4th grade and then she attended Grand View public schools. Thelma decided to hold Tiny back that first year into public schools so that she could be in the same grade as her sister Babe. Tiny was thought of as the “quiet one”. She loved playing sports like basketball where she and her sister were rather aggressive on the court. When you saw the four siblings; Tiny, Jerry, Justin, and Babe together, you knew trouble was sure to follow. She graduated from Grandview High School in 1965.

She married Calvin Ireland on February 3, 1970, in Mountain Home. She preferred to be outdoors and continued ranching at the Ireland Ranch for over 40 years until she lost her leg in 2017. Tiny could best be described as “one of the toughest women” you will ever meet. Tiny sustained multiple serious injuries over her lifetime and managed to heal with very little fanfare and get right back at it. She shared her extensive knowledge of cattle and horses with many and definitely worked harder than most. She was a big supporter of her children and her grandchildren, along with many “bonus” kids that she considered as her own.

You could often find her in a favorite sweatshirt with the Ireland brand on it, a cowboy hat and a smile. She found most things in life to be funny and her laugh was contagious.

Tiny leaves behind her husband, Calvin of 53 years, and their three children: Jessie Ireland (Terry Seegrist), Joe Ireland,  and Jim (Kathlynn) Ireland. Her grandchildren: Austin Seegrist, Samie Seegrist (Chris Cline), Chase Ireland, Shane (Hunter) Mitchell, Ricky Oberheide and Cheyenne (Rustin) McLeod and her great-grandchildren Sunny Oberheide and Calen Cline.

Tiny is survived by her nine siblings: Jack (Ava) Rubelt, JoAnn (Larry) Callaway, Jerry (Ruth) Rubelt, Justina “Babe” (Pete) Milburn, Justin (Gail) Rubelt, Judy (Jack) Pascale, Jay Rubelt, Jesse (Jale) Rubelt and Janet Rubelt.

Services will be on May 8, 2023 at 1:00pm at the Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel, in Mountain Home. A celebration of life will be held after the funeral at the Mountain Home Elks Lodge #2276.