Lorene Lawrence, 97, passed away peacefully on November 14th, 2024, at her home with her family by her side. She was born on October 28th, 1927, in Caryville, Tennessee to Mike and Mossie (Comer) Lawson. Lorene was the fifth girl of eight children and grew up on a farm in a rural area of the Cumberland Mountains. She had fond memories of family, church, and made lifelong friends.
Lorene’s father was a preacher. She grew up in the church in Caryville, Tennessee with her family and went to live with her sister in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and worked as a waitress. At this time, Oak Ridge was called “The Secret City” during WWII where the atomic bomb was being developed. While in Oak Ridge, Lorene met James Lawrence. They were married in Rossville, Georgia on January 24th, 1948, and moved together to Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1949. Lorene and her husband James celebrated 76 years of marriage.
Lorene was a wonderful mother and homemaker, raising five children. She also worked at Southern Colony and Brookside Nursing Home. Lorene was and still is very much loved and fondly remembered by her husband, children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. She is remembered by her family for her wonderful sense of humor, her Christian faith and values, and her devotion to her family. Lorene and her husband were members of Kenosha Christian Fellowship Church. They enjoyed spending time with their family and meeting all of their friends at the Golden Corral.
Lorene is survived by, her husband James; her children, stepdaughter Sherry (Jerry) DeBold of Louisiana, Missouri, George (Kristy) Lawrence of Eagleville, TN, Jim Ray (Harriet) Lawrence of Culleoka, TN, Kathy (Donnie) Holman of Kenosha, WI, Rhonda (Kenny) Moore of Kenosha, WI; 15 grandchildren; 22 great grandchildren; and 9 great great grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her son Alan Lawrence; granddaughter Jocinda Lawrence Martin; her siblings, Mossie (Leonard) Patty, Birdie (Harrison) Leach, Evelyn (Ed) Janishanis, Loretta (Seybourn) Day, Ben (Connie) Lawson, Ray (Roberta) Lawson, Horace (Lois) Lawson, and Patrick and Faye who died as infants.
The family would like to express their gratitude to Lorene’s Hospice Alliance Care Team for their compassionate and dedicated care, and to her live-in caregiver Slava Berezhnytska, who was like a daughter to her.
Lorene loved Jesus with all her heart, and we will all be together again in our forever home soon. She will always be remembered in our hearts.
Private services for Lorene will be held.
