Lorene Mcdowell

Lorene McDowell, age 96, of Fruitland, passed away Thursday, April 2, 2015 at the family home. She was born at home in Jackson with her twin brother on November 25, 1918, the daughter of Grover "Cleve" Crites and Rhoda James Crites. She married Allen McDowell on October 29, 1938 in Blytheville, Arkansas. He preceded her in death July 8, 2015.

Lorene was a 1936 graduate of Jackson High School and attended Southeast Missouri State Teachers College, earning a teacher's certificate. She taught in the one room Liberty School near Oak Ridge for one year. After that, she was a mother, homemaker, dairy farmer, bookkeeper and partner in her husband's business enterprises. A lifelong Methodist, she was active in the Fruitland Methodist Church, returning to her childhood church New McKendree United Methodist, when the Fruitland church closed. At New McKendree, she organized the Esther Circle and was instrumental in starting a shuttle service enabling the elderly to attend church, an effort that ultimately resulted in the church's purpose of a van.

Survivors include three children Ronald McDowell of Fruitland, Donna Brugger of Paducah, KY and Cheryl (Darrell) Hanschen of Fruitland; six grandchildren, Kyle (Mendi) McDowell, Jeff (Samantha) Brugger, Julie (Andre) McDaniel, Shaun Hanschen and wife Scarlett Loomas, Leslie Hanschen and husband Bryan Schmid, and Brittany Hanschen; four great-grandchildren Martin Brugger, Miles and Mabry Schmid and Amelie Hanschen; supportive friends Dwayne and Sandy Hanners.

She was preceded in death by her beloved twin Loren in 1943, a newborn son Loren Allen, brothers Grover, Woodrow, and James Crites, her sister Viola Godwin, granddaughter Mary Melissa McDowell and son-in-law Bill Brugger.

Services were held Saturday at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson, followed by internment at Cape County Memorial Park with the Rev. Jimmie Corbin officiating. Pallbearers were Kyle McDowell, Jeff Brugger, Shaun Hanschen, Brittany Hanschen, Bryan Schmid and Dwayne Hanners.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude's Children's Hospital and to the Southeast Missouri Food Bank.

To view Lorene’s personal video, click here.