Lorene (Stepp) McElfish, the daughter of James Hinton and Carrie (Hankins) Stepp was born October 31, 1916 in rural Fairfax, Missouri. She attended country school in the Fairfax area, until moving to Rock Port, Missouri when she was 10 years old. She later graduated from Rock Port High School in 1935.

On June 26, 1937, Lorene was united in marriage to William Joseph McElfish in Rock Port, by Judge H.P. Savage. They made their home in Rock Port where Lorene was a homemaker. Joe passed away in 1973. Following his death, Lorene worked for a short time at Pleasant View Nursing Home, Rock Port. In 1987, Lorene moved to Miles City, Montana, to live closer to her daughter, Peggy. They later moved to Lewistown, Idaho and in March of 2004 returned to the Rock Port area. Lorene passed away Saturday, October 14, 2006, at Pleasant View Nursing Home, at the age of 89 years.

Lorene was a member of the Order of Eastern Star Rock Port Chapter #440 and a former member of Rock Port United Methodist Church.

Survivors include one daughter, Peggy Marie McElfish, Rock Port; two sons, William Loren McElfish and his wife, Tetsuko, Silverdale, Washington, James Charles McElfish and his wife Frances Cruz, Union, Mississippi; three grandchildren; one great grandchild and one sister, Alice Ruth Webster, Channelview, Texas.

Besides her parents and husband, Joe, Lorene was preceded in death by two brothers, Wayne and Duane Stepp, and one sister, Evelyn La Fonte.

Services were held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 17th, 2006 at Minter Funeral Chapel, Rock Port, with burial at Elmwood Cemetery, also at Rock Port. There was no scheduled family visitation. Memorials may be directed to the United Methodist Church, Rock Port.