Lorene M. Sawdon

Funeral Services for Lorene M. Sawdon will be conducted from the Forch Funeral Chapel in Benkelman, Nebraska on Wednesday, November 22, 2006 at 1:00 p.m. (Mountain Time). Interment will be in the Benkelman Cemetery.

Lorene M. Sawdon, 91 years of age, of Bayard, Nebraska (formerly of the Holdrege area) passed to the House of the Lord on Sunday, November 19, 2006 at the Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff, Nebraska after losing the battle with cancer. Lorene was born February 2, 1915 at Mason City, Nebraska, the eldest of four daughters of Benjamin H. and Mable A. (Nelson) Mulvany.

Following her education she was united in marriage to Clyde H. Artz and to this union three children were born: Shirley, Clyde K. "Jr." and Bernalda. When the children were young the couple divorced.

Lorene later met and married Rolland Sawdon and the couple had a trucking business and had several trucks in their fleet. Lorene drove a tanker truck into Kansas and back into Nebraska. She was also a school bus driver for a number of years. In addition, the couple managed a grocery/produce store and a café in Culbertson, Nebraska.

At the age of 70, Lorene took a Certified Nursing Assistant course and assisted the elderly in their homes. She was always thinking of other people and had a gentle touch taking caring of others.

She enjoyed cooking, gardening, sewing and quilting. She loved to share her life stories with those who would listen. She was a loving Grandmother and Great-Grandmother. Not everyone always agreed with "Mom and Grandma", but she always had lots of love in her heart for everyone.

She came to live in Bayard, Nebraska in 2000 to be closer to her son, Clyde K. Artz and daughter-in-law, Janet who was her caregiver. Not only was Janet her caregiver but also, Lorene became her dear friend and "Mom". She was a cherished friend to her daughter-in-law. She will be surely missed.

She leaves to mourn her passing her daughter, Bernalda (Artz) Nelson of Bartley, Nebraska; daughter-in-law, Janet Artz of Bayard, Nebraska; two sisters: Lucile Gerdes and Berdeina Farrell of Benkelman; eighteen grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; 5 great-great grandchildren; 3 step grandchildren; 3 step great-grandchildren; 1 step great-great grandchild; and a host of other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husbands: Clyde H. Artz and Rolland Sawdon; her parents; two daughters: one in infancy and Shirley Melton-Stevens; son, Clyde K. Artz; sister, Wauneta Mulvany; son-in-law, Bill Nelson and granddaughter, Joyce Vossler.

Mrs. Sawdon will lie in state at the Forch Funeral Chapel on Wednesday, prior to the service.

A memorial has been established in her memory.

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

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege and the Forch Funeral Chapel in Benkelman are in charge of the arrangements.