Lorene Talley

Ida Lorene Talley, 81, of Cape Girardeau passed away Monday, July 1, 2013, at her home.

She was born Nov. 11, 1931, in Millersville, daughter of Steve W. and Meta Peters Sawyer. She and Donald W. Talley were married June 4, 1949.

Lorene was employed by W.T. Grant and Co. before accepting a position at Sears, where she continued to work 28 years, retiring in 1996. She was a member of Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau and was active in the Hope Life Sunday school group. Her greatest joy was spending time with family, especially her grandchildren.

She created a warm and loving home, often hosting large holiday meals and playing spirited games with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Contemplative and thoughtful, Lorene acknowledged every family birthday, anniversary and gift received with carefully chosen greeting cards and handwritten sentiments. She passes on to her family a love of reading and a strong Christian faith. Regardless of the many trials Lorene experienced toward the final chapter of her life, she was always thinking of others.

Loving survivors include her husband of 64 years, Donald; two daughters, Norma (Walter) Wildman and Debbie Followell (Bill) Derrick of Cape Girardeau; a brother, Lloyd Sawyer of Linn Creek, Mo.; four granddaughters, Teresa (Eric) Wilke of Cape Girardeau, Jennifer (Cliff) Sodergren of St. Louis, Rachel (Derrick) Bangert and Natalie Followell of Cape Girardeau; and five great-granddaughters, Olivia and Anna Wilke and Vanessa, Dakota and Braelyn Bangert.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Robert and Truman Sawyer; and a sister, Irene Grindstaff.

A gathering of friends and family will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at McCombs Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau, and at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday until time of service at Lynwood Baptist Church.

The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the church, with the Rev. Mark Anderson officiating. Interment will be in Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson.

Memorials may take the form of contributions to Lynwood Baptist Church or Southeast Hospice.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting mccombsfuneralhome.com.