Lois Werner

Lois Agnes Werner

April 4, 1928 – November 21, 2023

Lois Agnes (nee Dawson) Werner, daughter of Alva and Cecil (nee Matlock) Dawson was born April 4, 1928, in Lenox, MO in a 2 room farmhouse. She was child number three – Lee Dawson, Lola Parker, Lois, Leta Edwards, Lily Slayton and Loretta Hildreth – Lois was the last surviving sibling.

She graduated from Licking High School in 1945 and rode the bus to St. Louis to find work. While living with Lily O’Connor, a distant relative of her dad, she started seeing August C. Werner, Lily’s nephew. When Aug was in the Army, he was actually corresponding with Lois’ sister Lola, but then he met grown up Lois! Aug was 6 years older than Lois and her dad gave his permission for them to marry since her mom said Aug was to marry Lola! On January 5, 1946, Aug & Lois were married at St. Louis City Hall and in October their only child was born, August C. Werner, Jr.

In the early 50s, Lois started working at Bussman Fuse and she worked there for the next 40 years until her retirement. She loved to cook and try “new recipes” on her family. When Gus Jr. was planning his wedding, she had them try every recipe she found for Mostaccioli! Her main love was quilting and making doilies and table scarves. She would quilt from 8 am, take a lunch break, then quilt another 4 hours – 6 days a week. But never on a Sunday, that was the Lord’s Day. She loved making them and giving them away as gifts and even sold a few. She also received several ribbons for her quilts at the Jacksonville, MO Lions Club Quilting Shows.

In 1957, Lois was confirmed at Bethlehem Lutheran Church on Salisbury in North City. Her confirmation verse was Psalm 122:1 I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.” The family worshipped there until 1972 when they moved from North City to South County and transferred their membership to Salem Affton.

January 1996, Aug and Lois celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at Salem by renewing their vows. Since they never had a “fancy” wedding reception, they had a beautiful reception at Royal Orleans, with a 4-tiered wedding cake and danced to the Anniversary Waltz.

In September 1996, Aug died suddenly. After a time, Lois became involved with the Salem Senior group. She made several friends in the group, and they would do lunches and dinners several times a month, they even traveled together, Branson, Pigeon Forge, and other places that had crafts.

Lois son August Jr or as the family called him Boots, married Donna Torrence in November 1971. They had two children, Jim and Grant. Jim has a son Mitchell (22), and Grant has a daughter, Avelyn (10). In December 2016, Grant died suddenly. The family had just celebrated Thanksgiving together and he died a week later from a pulmonary embolism. The family was devastated. Then in May 2019, Lois’ son Boots died. At that time, the early signs of dementia were beginning to appear.

In January 2023, Lois moved into Southview Assisted Living at the advice of her doctor. She fought it – No! Donna will take care of me! But once she was there, she loved it after she saw how her family had fixed up her apartment with her furniture and photos on the walls and her Keurig!

Lois’ dementia was very noticeable now and in June she was moved to a memory care apartment. She was living in the 1950s, her thoughts would take her back in time. She started looking for Aug and her boy, she would call all hours of the day and night saying she missed the school bus, or she just got back from a day trip to New York or California! The one thing she never forgot was to say, “thank you” and “I love you”. November 11th she was admitted to the hospital and was diagnosed with renal failure, and they recommended hospice care. She went back to her apartment and was in hospice care for 5 days. On November 21st at the age of 95 7 months 17 days, she went to sleep peacefully and woke up with her Aug, Boots and Grant greeting her with open arms and she finally saw the face of her beloved Jesus.

Lois is survived by her daughter-in-law of 52 years, Donna, grandson Jim, great grandson Mitchell, great-granddaughter Avelyn, grand-daughter-in-law Jessica, brother-in-law Chuck Hildreth and many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.

In lieu of flowers memorials are appreciated to Alzheimer's & Dementia organization.