Wanda Dorene Myers, 93, of Houston, was born April 3, 1923, at Ellis Prairie to Gladys Edna Wheeler and Herbert Ross Myers, who owned a farm operation.
Dorene attended school at Ellis Prairie and later graduated from Houston High School in 1942, where she met her husband, Wayne, who during a lengthy courtship finally agreed to be his wife. They were married in Olathe, Kan., on March 8, 1946.
Upon graduation, Dorene worked as the bookkeeper for W.T. Scheets Hardware in downtown Houston, where she came in contact with the agriculture community. At the same time, Dorene and Wayne were developing their own farm operation. They worked hard on their acreage in the White Rock community, where they milked cows, raised beef cattle and enjoyed gardening. Later, Dorene went to work for International Shoe Co. in Houston to help support their family, which now included two children, Roger and Dana. When the plant closed, she used her skills at the Lee Apparel Co., which occupied the shoe company’s space.
Dorene loved her family. She was a loving mother and grandmother who always passed along wisdom concerning the rewards of hard work and being a good person. She loved supporting them and attending their athletic activities with her sister, Virginia.
Certainly Dorene was a hard worker and had the tenacity to work side by side with her husband. When Wayne was injured in a serious hay baling accident in 1980, Dorene with much determination continued to operate the farm. Later, Dorene and Wayne enjoyed trips to Branson’s Silver Dollar City and many of its shows.
After Wayne’s death in February 2001, she continued to operate the farm and raise cattle until 2005, when she sold it and moved to Houston, where she lived until her death.
She was preceded in death by her parents; an infant daughter, Teresa; her husband; a grandson, Justin Sparks; and her siblings, Herbert Monroe Myers and Virginia Irene Altis Murphy.
Dorene is survived by her children, Roger Norris and his wife, Carolyn, of Overland Park, Kan., and Dana Harper of Houston; grandchildren, Sarah Norris of Leawood, Kan., Scott Norris of Overland Park, Kan., and Kate Renfrow of West Plains; three great-grandchildren; and a sister, Jackie Gentry of Houston.
Services were 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, at Evans Funeral Home Chapel, Houston. Burial was in the Wolford Cemetery.Pallbearers were Gary Randall, Kent Randall, Brad Gentry, Wayne Harper, Dusty Renfrow and Roger Holder.
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