J. Lorene Barbee | April 20, 1928 - November 6, 2020

Lorene Blount was born in Rotan, TX April 20, 1928 to William Earnest and Eula (Baltzell) Blount. She attended school in Rotan until her 10th grade. Her family moved to Goodlett, TX where their mom ran the telephone office and Lorene met her future husband. She graduated high school in Goodlett, with the honor of Class Valedictorian.

Lorene Blount married Hulan Barbee in Goodlett, TX December 27, 1944. Larry and Mary were born in TX. They lived in Goodlett until 1951 when they moved to a farm near Onida, SD, where Roger was born. In 1954, they moved to a farm north of Harrold, SD where they remained until 1982. Lori, Teri, and Cary were born while living at Harrold. The family moved into Harrold in 1982, Cary was the only one at home by then. Hulan and Lorene purchased a house in Highmore in 1995, then returned to Harrold in 2008. They moved to Lakeside Assisted Living, Redfield, SD in 2014. Hulan passed away in 2016 and Lorene moved to Avantara in 2018 where she resided until her death.

Hulan and Lorene were delivered a huge blow when a soldier arrived at their house on June 10, 1969 to tell them their oldest son, Larry, had been killed in combat, June 6, in Viet Nam.

Lorene had many jobs through the years, besides being a mother and farmwife. She raised chickens to sell eggs during the 60’s. She sold eggs to Crossman Hatchery in Miller and several places in Pierre, including St. Mary’s Hospital and Fischer’s Grocery in Ft. Pierre. The kids got involved in all aspects of the work including delivering eggs, learning to count change in the process. She also babysat, worked in the Harrold Post Office, and at the Highmore Nursing Home.

Lorene was well-known for her tasty homemade pies. When Harrold celebrated its Centennial in 1986, she was the chairperson for the food committee and organized the picnic for that celebration.

One of Lorene’s favorite pastimes was visiting with her many friends. There were lots of laughs when they met for birthdays or for any reason to have coffee.

Lorene made some unique Christmas presents for her five children over the years. She made quilts for each one using Larry’s uniforms from the military and service station work. She put together a huge photo album for each one, chronicling their life and history in pictures starting with their great-grandparents. Another year she gifted recipe books containing the all the family favorites. She had to rewrite her own recipes that contained instructions of two drags of flour, three fingers of sugar, etc., measuring those items so the recipes made sense and could actually be used to make those favorite dishes! She was quite creative.

Lorene was an avid quilter and sewer. She spent many hours at her sewing machine making quilts for every family member, patching and altering clothing for friends and neighbors.

Lorene loved music, mostly listening to Christian gospel & anything Texas.  After living in SD nearly 70 years people still asked where she was from because she never lost her southern accent.

Lorene was a lifelong and faithful member of the Church of Christ and firmly believed in the promise of eternal life in heaven.

She is survived by children: Mary Nagel, Gettysburg, Roger Barbee, Karnes City, TX, Lori (Tom) Mattheis, Ellendale, ND, Teri (Mark) Rosenberg, Redfield, Cary Barbee, Redfield; grandchildren: Kim (John) Christensen, Brandon (Kelli) Nagel, Kara (Jedrey) Baumann, Ben (Kerry) Barbee, Robert Barbee, Brian Barbee, Justin Davies, Jenna Barbee, Allison (Troy) Radermacher, Jared Kuehn, Bryce (Mariah) Barbee; great grandchildren: Peyton, Olivia, Emma Christensen, Kaden Cronin, Claire, Foster Baumann, Nadia, Gabriel, Lillian Barbee, Alan Barbee, Camryn, Braden Radermacher; and many nieces and nephews.

Preceded in death by her parents: Earnest and Eula Blount; husband, Hulan; son, Larry; son-in-law, Larry Nagel; grandson, Chad; great granddaughter, Alexandria; brother, Bill Blount; sisters: Lillian Stephens, Marie Carmichael, Nadine Westmoreland.

Luze Funeral Home of Highmore has been entrusted with Lorene’s arrangements.

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