Lorene was born on Feb. 17, 1925, in La Crosse, Wis., to Karl and Frieda (Nunnemacher) Oechsle. They lived in rural Brownsville, Minn. She married Henry V. Cordes and they later divorced. They spent their married life living in the Reno and Brownsville area.
Lorene passed away and went to live with the Lord on May 27, 2016.
She is survived by three children, Gloria (Jess) Whitewater, La Vonne (Rodney) Olson and Derald (Dawn) Cordes; three grandchildren, Audra (Dan) Hirschfield, Shawn Olson and Douglas (Michelle) Hirschfield; and several nieces and nephews.
Lorene was a charter member of the Brownsville V.F.W. Ladies Auxiliary. She loved to walk, read and in earlier years, do needlework and sew. She also loved gardening and flowers. Lorene looked forward to playing bingo and playing cards with her friends. She really enjoyed helping people.
Lorene spent the past several years living at Whispering Pines in Caledonia where she was known to everyone as the “Cookie Lady.” The past year she resided at the Golden Living Center in La Crescent where she made many new friends. She will be very sadly missed by all her family and friends.
Memorial services will be at 1 p.m., Sunday, June 5, 2016, at the Jandt-Fredrickson Funeral home, Woodruff Chapel, 4239 N. Mormon Coulee Rd., La Crosse. Private burial will be in the Brownsville Veteran’s Cemetery at a later date. A visitation will be from 12 noon until time of services Sunday at the funeral home. Online condolences may be sent at www.jandtfredrickson.com.