Lorene Ruth White

O’NEILL – Funeral Services for Lorene R. White, 91, of O’Neill will be held on Monday, April 20, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at the O’Neill Methodist Church in O’Neill. Visitation will be held from 9:30-11:00 a.m. at the church. Pastor Bob Wynn will be officiating the services. Interment will be held at the St. Peter Catholic Cemetery in Ewing. Lorene passed away on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 at the Stanton Health Center in Stanton, NE. Stonacek Funeral Chapel in Norfolk is in charge of the arrangements. Lorene was born on August 11, 1934, in Orchard, Nebraska, to Charles and Ione (Ickler) Thelander. She grew up on a farm north of Orchard and later in the town of Orchard, attending Orchard Public Schools. In high school, Lorene enjoyed being a cheerleader, band majorette, and baton twirler. She had a beautiful singing voice and often sang for weddings and funerals during her teen years. On June 30, 1952, Lorene married the first love of her life, Virgil Yelli, in Ewing, Nebraska. They made their first home on a farm near Royal before moving to Detroit, Michigan, for Virgil’s employment. In 1963, they returned to Nebraska, living in O’Neill for several years, a short time in Butte, and finally settling in Orchard, where they made their home until Virgil’s passing in 1992. During these years, Lorene was a devoted homemaker, waitress, and cook. To this union, six children were born. Lorene later met her second husband, Keith White, while waitressing in Neligh, and they were married on November 1, 1997. Keith and Lorene resided south of Neligh and enjoyed spending winters in Arizona until Keith’s passing in 2003. After Keith’s passing Lorene returned to O’Neill where she resided for the next 21 years. Lorene loved dancing, and it was at a dance in Clearwater in 2006 that she met James Anderson, who would become her best friend, partner, and the final love of her life. You could find them at a dance almost every weekend, gliding gracefully across the dance floor to their favorite—the waltz. A talented cook, Lorene was especially known for her delicious potato salad, earning her the affectionate nickname “the potato salad lady” around O’Neill. She was fiercely independent and resourceful—able to fix almost anything around the house, change the car’s oil, and even replace tires. She took great pride in caring for her yard, mowing and raking well into her late 80s. Lorene was a friend to everyone she met, lived life to the fullest, and loved her family deeply. Lorene is survived by her daughters: Kathryn (Chuck) Coats of O’Neill; Suzan (Steve) DeCamp of Omaha; and Trichia Thompson (Steve) and fiancé Tim Bennett of Tilden; daughter-in-law Sheryl Yelli of Pierce; 12 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; 4 great-great-grandchildren; and special friend James Anderson of Greeley. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Virgil and Keith; her parents, Charles and Ione; sister, Wanda Kallhoff; brother, Larry Thelander; sons, James, John, and Jerry Yelli; grandsons, Marcus DeCamp and Jesse Yelli; son-in-law, Steve Thompson; and stepfathers, Lawrence Luber and Clarence Reefe. Condolences may be expressed to the family on-line at www.stonacekfuneralchapel.com.

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Lorene Ruth White

August 11, 1934 - April 15, 2026