Lorene Ruth Weidenbach

Lorene Ruth Weidenbach (Behl)

January 19, 1927 – April 4, 2025

Lorene (98) of Scotland, South Dakota passed away peacefully on April 4, 2025, surrounded by her family.

Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., with a 7 p.m. prayer service, Friday, April 11 at Salem Reformed Church in Menno.

Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 12 at Salem Reformed Church. Interment will be at 1:15 p.m. at Rosehill Cemetery in Scotland.

Lorene was born on January 19, 1927, on the family farm in Scotland, South Dakota to parents D. Vern Behl and Dorothy (Mitchell) Behl.

Lorene grew up on a farm 2.5 miles west of Scotland. She attended grade school at Cass Country School and graduated from Scotland High School in 1944. She was active in chorus, band, 4-H and cheerleading.

She attended Mitchell Business College for one year then worked at First Dakota National Bank in Yankton, South Dakota. She took the train home from Yankton to Scotland every weekend.

She met Eugene Weidenbach, recently returned from WWII, at a dance at Scotland City Hall. On September 8, 1946, the two were wed in Scotland. She became a farm wife, raising her children on the Weidenbach family farm near Lesterville, South Dakota. She tended to her garden, chickens, ducks and milk cows.

Later in life, quilting became her hobby. When each grandchild graduated from high school, they received a quilt. She also enjoyed playing card games and dominos with her family and friends. Lorene was a great cook. Her grandchildren loved her homemade buttons, meatloaf, green beans and sweet treats.

Lorene and Eugene were actively involved in various community organizations. Lorene was a volunteer at the Scotland Good Samaritan facility, visiting with residents and doing activities. She also very much enjoyed going walleye fishing with her family.

Eugene and Lorene enjoyed travelling both domestically and internationally. They wintered in Mesa, Arizona for 15 years. They moved into town and made their home in Scotland in August 2006.

Eugene and Lorene celebrated 74 years of marriage.

After the passing of Eugene, Lorene made her home in assisted living at the Scotland Good Samaritan Center in September 2021, where she was actively involved in the facility life.

Lorene is survived by her five children, Jeanette R. (Frank) Herzog of Omaha, Linda R. (Leo) Pedersen of Scotland, Lyle R. (Barb) Weidenbach of Sioux Falls, Paul R. (Pamela Hartman) Weidenbach of Lesterville, and John R. (Deb) Weidenbach of Sioux Falls; 13 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren; her two sisters-in-law and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Eugene; her son, Delmar R.; three brothers, Donald, Louis, and Lawrence, and two daughters-in-law, Leona and Lois.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in her honor to Scotland Good Samaritan Friends or the Scotland Historical Society, both in Scotland.