Mathews, Lorene B. 1926-2025 Albany, Mo.

ALBANY, Mo. – Lorene Bell (Pierce) Mathews was born May 6, 1926, to Isaac R. and Stella (Folgate) Pierce near Stanberry, Missouri. Lorene passed away March 6, 2025, at the age of 98.

She had two brothers, Lester Eldon Pierce and Leland Dale Pierce. Leland was injured in birth and passed away in 1932 and Lester passed away in November 2015.

Lorene attended Spessard School for the first three years of school, then moved to the Hugginsville School District and attended one year of high school at Stanberry and finished High School at Albany in 1944. Lorene was a member of the Hugginsville Methodist Church.

She lived in Aumsville, Oregon, for about 60 years. She married Stanley Wells. He lived for four years and passed away with diabetes he had since a small child. Stanley made her promise that she would get married again. She later married Melvin R. Mathews and was married to him for 45 years when he passed away in 2008.

Lorene stayed in Oregon about five years then moved back to Albany. Lorene had three cousins on her mother’s side, Pauline Toombs, (deceased), Mary Mulnix, and family of Bethany, Missouri, and Carl Folgate and family, Ridgeway, Missouri. She is the last of the Pierce family. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Ann Mathews, Oregon State.

Funeral Service: 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 11, at the First Baptist Church, Albany.

Burial in the Hugginsville Cemetery, Gentry, Missouri. Memorial Contributions: Albany Senior Center in care of the Roberson-Polley Chapel, 403 N. Hundley, Albany, MO 64402.

Online Condolences: www.robersonpolleychapel.com As published in the St. Joseph News-Press.