Lorene Bunch

Lorene Bunch was born February 19, 1941 in Adair County, Oklahoma. She was the daughter of Mary Jane Fogg Lawhead, and was raised in the home of her grandmother, Susie Blackwood until she went to Kansas where she attended school until she graduated. Lorene later married Hubert Bunch, and together they had three children; Treva, Greg (Pud), and Sherry.

For many years, Lorene worked as a teacher's aide at various schools. She attended classes at NSU where she received a certification to work with a Cherokee Nation program also serving in rural schools. Lorene loved working with children, and she was always eager to invest time and energy into any child. She was mom and granny to so many in addition to her own family.

Lorene later worked in production for Facet, here in Stilwell, Oklahoma and also retired from there. After her retirement from Facet, she resumed doing what she loved in working with children at Tenkiller Public Schools to be near some of her grandchildren.

Lorene loved and supported her children and encouraged them to seek an education and be productive, well thought of in the community, only second to her encouraging them to have a relationship with Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Lorene was a woman of great convictions, strong determination, and tremendous faith! She was never afraid to speak to others about Jesus or to tell you when you need to "straighten up!" Lorene was very invested in her children and actively involved in their lives, also the lives of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She made the statement that her love never ran out, it just grew and grew with every generation and she made that obvious by how hard she tried to spoil them all.

Lorene and Hubert shared a passion for sports of all types and you would be likely to see them at any kind of game no matter the season or the temperature, they were going to be there rain or shine. They have been the biggest fans of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren all throughout the years. Being such great fans, they were there to support the entire team. Nothing made them happier than to see one of their grandchildren make it to the professional level, although they always said they were equally proud of ALL their children and grandchildren. They loved to make the trip to St. Louis to watch Ryan pitch every opportunity they had while her health permitted it. Today we believe she has become our spiritual cheerleader encouraging us all to finish our race here and to finish it well. One thing she said quite often in her later days was, she "wanted to see everyone in heaven and no one left behind." She would say "make sure they know I'm going to be expecting them to join me!"

Lorene was greeted in heaven by her Lord and Savior and by her granddaughter, Lena Nicole; she longed for this day for so many years. Others who join them are her mother, Mary Jane Lawhead, sister Marie, and granny Susie and a host of other friends and family.

Lorene awaits those of her family to join her in heaven including her husband, Hubert of the home in Bunch, Oklahoma; Greg (pud) and wife Susie of Bunch, Oklahoma; Treva and husband Billy Hooper of Stilwell, Oklahoma; Sherry and husband Jason Helsley of Cookson, Oklahoma. Grandchildren Nate and wife Michelle Bunch and Riley Joe Bunch, of Bunch, Oklahoma; Hetath and wife Whitley Bunch, Kyron Gonzales, Axl Hooper, Justin Muskrat, all of Stilwell, Oklahoma; Kyle and Caleb Helsley of Cookson, Oklahoma; Ryan and wife Alex Helsley, of St. Louis, Missouri; and Taylor Hooper of Springdale, Arkansas. Lorene has 9 great-grandchildren, Geremiah and Dustin Noisewater, Addie and Reese Bunch, Fallyn and Abcity Muskart, Nevi Boyd, Eliana Helsley and Maple Still, along with a hist of other friends and family whom she loved dearly and treated as her own.