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Lorene Meester Adkins passed away on May 23, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas. She was born on December 25, 1937, the second of 4 children to Daniel and Tina (nee Henze) Meester in Grundy Center, Iowa. She attended Grundy Center Community Schools graduating with the Class of 1956. Studying at the University of Dubuque and the University of Iowa, she graduated in 1960 with a degree in education from IU. Her teaching career began in Oak Park, Illinois but her sense of adventure and desire to see the world soon led her to a career of teaching in schools for military dependents run by the U.S. Department of Defense. She taught in Japan, Turkey and Italy. In Italy she married Major Patrick Adkins and returned with him to the USA. For several years she lived in San Antonio but returned to teaching for the DOD after qualifying to teach English as a Second Language. She remained in Italy until her retirement enjoying her career and the many opportunities it afforded her to travel with friends and family. With retirement, San Antonio became her home once again. Lorene continued to travel with friends and family both at home and abroad. She became a Master Gardener, volunteering at the San Antonio Children’s Garden where she loved helping kids understand and enjoy gardening. She also volunteered every year selling plants to raise scholarship funds at the SA Rodeo. She became a member of San Antonio Texas Outdoor Women’s Network and bonded with a group of 10 women who did outdoor activities together. They especially enjoyed river kayaking excursions pausing often to take pictures of the flowers and wildlife. She was a music and art lover taking full advantage of the opportunities that the museums, theater and symphony concerts of San Antonio offered. Lorene is preceded in death by her mother Tina, her father Daniel, her brother Duane and her stepmother Ivadell. She was loved and will be greatly missed by her brother Jim (Marion) Meester of Clear Lake, Iowa, her sisters Mary Jo Elmore of Snohomish, WA, and Kim (Dewey) Swenka of Waterloo, Iowa, two stepbrothers Gene (Tanis) Shaw of Lancaster, PA and J.R. (Linda) Shaw of Conroe, TX, a large number of nieces and nephews and many very good friends in San Antonio and around the world.

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Lorene K. Adkins

December 25, 1937 - May 23, 2022