Lorene Stortzum (99) of Hord

Lorene Stortzum, 99, of Hord, Illinois, passed away at 2:33 am Sunday, September 15, 2024, at the Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Illinois.

Lorene was born on Friday, February 20, 1925, in Hord, Illinois the daughter of Arthur and Edna (White) Cameron. She was united in marriage to Lester Herman Stortzum on March 10, 1943, at the St. John's Lutheran Church Parsonage and they shared 63 years of marriage before he preceded her in death on December 4, 2006. Lorene was a woman of many amazing talents. In her free time, she could often be found line dancing, a passion that brought her much joy and energy. Her artistic flair was evident in her beautiful paintings and intricate ceramic works, each one a testament to her keen eye and steady hand. Among her other cherished pastimes was tending to her garden and maintaining her yard, activities that brought her closer to the nature she loved so much. Lorene was a dedicated factory worker, showing her tenacity and diligence throughout her career in manufacturing having worked at the International Shoe Factory in Flora and then Glove factory in Effingham. Above all, she was a firm believer in the value of education. Her determination to put her children through college was not just an act of parental love, but a testament to her conviction that education was a gateway to a brighter future. Lorene was a devout member of the St. John's Lutheran Church in Louisville.

Lorene is survived by her children: Sandy (Jim) Keller of Davenport, Iowa, Robert "Bob" (Mary Ann) Stortzum of Louisville, Charles (Debbie) Stortzum of Ramsey, Illinois, Kelly (Julie) Stortzum of Louisville; 14 grandchildren: Mark Puck, Annette (Todd) Fowler, Kary (Sonya) Keller, Kim (Gregg) Brinkman, Cynthia (Darren) Bailey, Mitchell (Heather) Stortzum, Steven (Emily) Stortzum, Joni (Mark) Pierson, Shane (Stephanie) Stortzum, Michelle (Kevin) Buenker, Mindi (Tim) Knebel, Mandy (Keith) Probst, Kyle (Natalie) Stortzum, Lorissa (Ryan) Wolfe; 25 great-grandchildren; and many great-great-grandchildren.

Lorene was preceded in death by her parents; sister: Corene Stortzum; father and mother-in-law: Walter and Frederica Stortzum; niece: Nancy Jo Stortzum; nephew: Dwight Stortzum.

Funeral services to celebrate Lorene's life will be held at 11:00 am Thursday, September 19, 2024, at the St. John's Lutheran Church, rural Louisville with Rev. Steven Becker officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday at the church from 10:00 to 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made in Lorene's memory to the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. The McGriff Funeral Home in Louisville is honored to be entrusted with the families care and the arrangements. We invite everyone who knew and loved Lorene to share their memories, stories, and pictures on her memorial page by clicking here.