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uCOhmO!"OhmO!"mBINCAOeLorena H. Normandeau

RONAN - Lorena H. Normandeau, 89, died Wednesday morning, Dec. 1, 2004, at St. Patrick Hospital, Missoula.

Lorena was born Aug. 30, 1915, at Davis City, Iowa, to Coral (Smith) and Louis Hurst Horner. In 1931 her family moved to the Mission Valley, settling in the Round Butte area west of Ronan. She graduated from Ronan High School and married Rupert A. Normandeau on Christmas Day, 1934, in Ronan. They had four children, Elizabeth (Bette Ann), Gracia, James (Jim) and Jeannette.

Lorena was active in many community organizations. She was a member of the Sew & Sew club, the Federated Women's Club, was a Past Worthy Matron of Eastern Star, and an active participant in the Democratic Women's Club and the Ronan Garden Club.

Because of her husband's back injury, in 1952 they left the dairy and ranching business and opened and operated Normandeau's Trading Center in Ronan.

In 1954 they moved to Conrad where Lorena served as Deputy Clerk of Court for Pondera County (1955-1959). When their youngest daughter, Jeannette, entered college, Lorena and Rupert also enrolled in college, fulfilling a lifelong desire to obtain a college education. Earning their teaching certificates, they taught one year at Terry and one year at the first through eighth grade rural Strauss School east of Conrad.

In 1966 Lorena returned to college, graduating with high honors from the University of Montana. She taught school in Polson and in 1969 she moved to Ronan and taught high school there until her retirement in 1980. Lorena loved young people. She was a dedicated teacher of English, Mythology, Literature, and was deeply committed to teaching theater arts and special education classes. Under her guidance, Ronan High School students published the Dovetail Magazine, a treasured record of memories and vanishing histories of people in the Ronan area and the Flathead Indian Reservation.

She joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1979. Following her retirement in 1980, she moved to St. George Utah, where she owned an arts, crafts, and yarn shop. Lorena served two missions for the LDS Church, 1984-85 in the Missouri Independence Mission, and the Salt Lake City Family History Department in 1989-1990, in Salt Lake City. She made her home in SLC for many years.

In 1996 she underwent open-heart surgery in Missoula. She resided in Missoula until her death. Her example of faith in God, her love of music, her sense of humor, and ready wit, endeared her to all who knew her. The many important values she taught her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and students, will live on for generations to come.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Rupert; her brothers, Brainerd Horner and James B. Horner; her sister, Elizabeth Hahn; a daughter, Jeannette Cohen, and a grandson, Rafe Cohen.

Lorena is survived by her son Jim [Colleen] Normandeau, of Yakima, Wash.; daughters Elizabeth (Bette Ann) [Bill] Samsel of Evaro, and Gracia [Ivor] Jones of St. George Utah; 15 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren. One grandson and two great-grandsons are currently serving in the U.S. Military.

Funeral services were Dec. 6 at the LDS Church in Ronan.

Memorial donations are suggested to the Boys and Girls Club of the Flathead Reservation and Lake County, or the charity of your choice. Funeral arrangements were handled through Shrider's Mortuary, Ronan.

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