Lorine Stine Mitchell, age 93, passed peacefully at her residence on June 11, 2021. Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 15, 2021 at Greenhill Memorial Gardens with Bro. Tony Latham officiating and Skelton Funeral Home of Reform directing. A short visitation will be held at the graveside.
Lorine was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Jim Mitchell; her parents, John and Ola Stine; sisters, Roberta Latham (Grady), Evelyn Latham (Lewis), Edith Burkhalter (Marlin), Clara Mae Junkin (Oliver) and Thelma Cargile-Orr (Bill) (Hoyt) and her brother-in-law, Frank Mitchell.
She is survived by her three sons, Duane Mitchell, John Mitchell (Kerk Chan) and Jim Mitchell Jr. (Beth); her granddaughter, Lydia Mitchell; grandson, Daniel Mitchell and her many nieces and nephews that have been a great part of her life.
Lorine was born in Echola, AL on January 10, 1928. After graduating from Gordo High she attended the DCH Nursing School in Tuscaloosa and graduated in 1949. While in training and on a nurses picnic, she met a Navy vet attending the University of Alabama from Brooklyn, NY. They dated, wrote letters, and married 1950. She worked as an RN at Kings Hospital in Brooklyn and later at a hospital where they lived on Long Island; and more difficult was a Gordo girl learning to drive in NY.
They moved back to Gordo in 1967 and she served as the first full-time school nurse in Pickens County. Lorine loved encouraging her nieces and her students to enter the medical field and later in life worked with some, and received care from them in her later years. She worked at Pickens County Hospital in the 1980's and 90's and also served on the Hospital Board.
Lorine loved working with her family to restart the Stine-Free reunion. Even into her 80's, she communicated with family and friends across the country by letter, phone calls, and even Facebook.
The Gordo Senior Center became another family to her the last 15 years. She enjoyed the activities, the fellowship, and recently her friends reaching out to her during her illness. The many calls, cards, and prayers during her later years were a blessing to her.
The care our mom received at home from the nurses and healthcare workers at Hospice of West Alabama and Amedisys was invaluable. Dwane's willingness to provide care 24/7 is the reason she was able to spend her last years at home.
Special thanks to her caregiver Rosa Gary and the two "daughters" she always wanted, Betty Sue and Doris (Tom).
The family suggests all memorials be made to the Gordo Senior Center, 228 Main St. South, Gordo, AL 35466 or Hospice of West Alabama, 3851 Loop Road, Tuscaloosa, AL 35404.