Lorena M. Smith

Private Memorial Graveside Services for Lorena M. Smith will be conducted from the Moses Hill Cemetery in Phelps County, Nebraska.

Lorena May Smith, 93 years of age, of Holdrege, Nebraska, passed away on Saturday, November 3, 2007 at her daughters home in Loomis, Nebraska. Lorena was born May 6, 1914 in Phelps County, north of Loomis, the eldest of four children of Fingal and Jenny (Holm) Thorell. She received her education from Loomis, graduating from Loomis High School with the class of 1932. Lorena was awarded a scholarship to the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, yet what unable to attend college. Following her education, Lorena began working at the Sentinel Newspaper in Loomis.

In 1935, she was united in marriage to Lester E. Smith. The couple established a weekly newsletter in Sumner, Nebraska and later The Times in Lewellen, Nebraska. They relocated to North Platte, Nebraska and sold advertising for the Daily Bulletin and during this time their daughter, Anerol was born.

Lorena and Lester then traveled selling school supplies for an Indiana business. Their territory was from Colorado to Arkansas. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, they settled to Hastings, Nebraska, where Lorena worked for the Debus Bakery and Hested's Dime Store. In 1952, they moved to Monroe, Washington, where she was employed by the Monroe Monitor Newspaper for several years. Later, she would work for Storrs Clough, Attorney at Law. Later they moved to San Diego, California, where the couple co-owned and operated a donut shop. In 1963, they returned to Loomis, where Lorena was employed by the Loomis State Bank until her retirement.

Upon retirement they were interested in making exhibits and researching the history of Phelps County at the museum. Lorena's energy was spent volunteering countless hours to the museum and thoroughly enjoyed seeing it grow to what it is now. She loved history and knew just where to find the information she needed for many stories and files. Even at the age of 86, Lorena remained active giving of her self to the museum. On April 1, 1987, she was preceded in death by her husband, Lester.

She leaves to mourn her passing her daughter, Anerol "Ann" Pouk and her husband, Dennis of Loomis; six grandchildren: Kevin Foy of Ione, Washington, Bambi Foy of Holdrege, Robert Foy of Mesa, Arizona, Stacy Vaughn of Holdrege, Denny Pouk of Loomis, and Mark Egge of Lincoln, Nebraska; six great-grandchildren: Ashley and Dalton O'Connell, Ariel and Noah Foy, Makayla Foy and Katelyn Egge; one sister, Ruth Meadows of San Diego, CA; sister-in-law, Doris Thorell of San Diego; and a host of other relatives and special friends. Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers: Bernard and George Thorell and his wife, Anne; and brother-in-law, George Meadows.

There will be no visitation, the family is honoring Lorena's wish for cremation.

Memorials are suggested to the Nebraska Prairie Museum in Holdrege.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com.

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.