Las Vegas real estate ‘pioneer’ dead at 95

The Las Vegas Valley’s real estate community is mourning the death of one of its pioneers, Irene Vogel, on Dec. 24. She was 95.

Vogel, originally of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, worked in the Las Vegas real estate community for nearly 40 years before retiring in 2011. She served as chief executive officer of what is now known as Las Vegas Realtors and for a time as a real estate agent.

Las Vegas Realtors President Lee Barrett said Vogel was “one of a kind,” a “pioneer” and a longtime local real estate community leader.

“She served as CEO of what was then called the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors for more than 30 years and played a huge role in shaping our association and the local real estate industry,” Barrett said of the 17,000-plus members association. “She was a mentor to many and a caring and loyal friend to countless others.”

Judie Woods, a longtime local real estate agent who had been a friend of Vogel’s for 45 years dating back to when she first got her real estate license, said she was a character who was a key part of the community.

“She became my mentor, but more than that, she was a friend. She touched so many of our lives. She did so much.”

Vogel was active with the Ronald McDonald House and the Jewish Federation. She served more than 10 years on the board of directors for the Friends of Channel 10 (Vegas PBS) while also serving on the board of the College of Southern Nevada Foundation.

In 1990, Vogel received a Community Achievement Award in Real Estate from the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and in 2007 received a Lifetime Achievement award from Las Vegas Realtors.

Vogel moved to Las Vegas with her now late husband Allen in 1974 after raising their two daughters in California. Vogel soon started working for the Las Vegas Board of Realtors, now known as Las Vegas Realtors. She took a sabbatical from the association in 1990 — becoming a real estate agent and working for Country Club Hills by Christopher Holmes — before returning to the association in 1999 as chief executive officer and remaining in that role until her 2011 retirement.

Outside of work, Vogel’s daughters Susie Allazetta and Andee Ruby said she enjoyed regular lunches with friends, traveling, shopping and playing tennis.

“Although Irene gave so much of herself to charity and work, she was a giving and devoted friend and nothing less than the perfect wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother,” Allazetta said. “Her family’s love for her will only continue to grow and she will be greatly missed by those she left behind.”

A funeral service will be held Friday at noon at King David Memorial Chapel, followed by a reception at 3 p.m. at Spanish Trail Country Club.

Contact Patrick Blennerhassett at pblennerhassett@reviewjournal.com.