Lorena Eaker

CHURCH HILL, Tenn. -- Lorena May Shell Eaker, 90, of Church Hill joined her husband in the arms of their Savior, Jesus Christ, on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017, at the Wexford House in Kingsport, Tennessee.

She was born May 31, 1927, in Hahn, Missouri, daughter of Vernon E. and Hallie Fisher Shell. She and the late Odis Cleo Eaker were married June 27, 1942. He died June 3, 1990.

Lorena was a member of Greenvale Baptist Church of Church Hill and the Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.). She had a career as a bookkeeper working in various states.

She was a dedicated wife and loving mother.

She spent over 60 years of her life researching the genealogy of Bollinger County and its early settlers from North Carolina. She authored four books on genealogy, as well as a guide for caregivers of a loved one with Alzheimer's disease. Lorena's travels throughout North Carolina to Southeast Missouri endeared her to genealogy enthusiasts and members of the ever-widening "family tree" she and Odis discovered in their research.

Survivors include her daughter, Cheryl (Cliff) Stanley of Mount Carmel, Tennessee; brother, Rick (Donna) Shell of Marble Hill, Missouri; three grandchildren, Martin (Elana) Stanley of Tennessee, Trena (Jack) Hall of Utah and Melanie Stanley of Ohio; and three great-grandchildren, Sean Hall, Brianna Stanley and Caleb Stanley.

She was preceded in death by her husband and an infant; her parents; brothers, Dale Shell and an infant brother; an infant sister; and an infant grandson.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until noon Friday at Liley Funeral Home in Marble Hill.

The funeral service will begin at noon Friday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Gerald Huff officiating. Burial will follow the service at Bollinger County Memorial Cemetery.

Memorials in her honor are suggested to the following: the National Alzheimer's Association; the Lincoln County, North Carolina, Genealogical Society; and the Bollinger County Public Library.

Visit www.lileyfuneralhomes.com for further information.