Lorene (Butler) Wells March 31, 1925 ~ August 3, 2020 (age 95)

Obituary

Funeral services for Lorene Wells, 95, of Portales, will be held at 10:00 AM, Fri., Aug. 7, 2020 at Third and Kilgore Church of Christ with David Heflin officiating, assisted by Will Spina.  Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with Joe D. Thrasher, Scott Simmons, Skip Simmons, Jeff Hays, Gowan Hays and Delbert Rector serving as pallbearers.Those desiring to make memorial contributions may send them to the New Mexico Christian Children’s Home, 1356 NM 236, Portales, NM 88130.

Lorene was born Mar. 31, 1925 in Keltner, MO to the home of Emma (Landon) and William Butler and died Aug. 3, 2020 in Lubbock, TX.  Mrs. Wells grew up in Keltner near Springfield, MO.  Following her graduation from high school she began nurse’s training at O’Reilly Hospital in Springfield.  The hospital was treating wounded service men, and among them was Pete Wells.  The young couple fell in love, and upon his release, she was married to the love of her life on Dec. 31, 1945 in Columbus, KS.

They moved to Portales, and she became a wife and mother.  For many years Lorene did childcare in her home.  She loved to cook, as well as sewing and crocheting.  She and Pete enjoyed a large garden, and as a result of her “green thumb,” they always had an abundant crop which she canned.  Every Thurs. evening for many years, she played “Hand and Foot” and card games with friends.  She also enjoyed going to the lake, where Pete enjoyed fishing, and she enjoyed the water.

Lorene was a devout Christian, and a faithful member of Third and Kilgore Church of Christ.  She was always active in preparing meals for funerals, and fellowships as well as feeding college students at the Student Center on Tues. nights.  She was literally there every time the doors were open for as long as her health would permit.

Lorene is survived by two daughters and a son-in-law, Sue and Butch Simmons of Fort Worth, TX and Jana Wells of Killeen, TX; four grandchildren, Sheila (Jeff) Hays, Scott (Lisa) Simmons, Shane Simmons and Skip Simmons; five great-grandchildren, Gowan (Caitlin) Hays, Seth Simmons, Chasity Simmons, Sydney (Esidro) Arce, and Kylie Simmons; seven great-great-grandchildren; Grayson Hays, McKenzie and Tegan Schifflett, Deven Rainwater, Zoey Simmons, Ivy Simmons and Rico Arce; a sister-in-law, Betty Wells of Amarillo, TX and a brother-in-law, Woodrow Wells of Pampa, TX; as well as several nieces and nephews and other family members.  She was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers, Lloyd, Wesley, Glen and Jim Butler and a sister, Gracie and by her beloved husband, Pete, who died Sept. 5, 2015 after almost 70 years of marriage!