Lena Rose Orlich

The visitation will be from 10-11:30 am, Thursday, January 30th, at Newcomers White Chapel Funeral Home, burial to follow at White Chapel Cemetery, both at 6600 NE Antioch Road, Gladstone, MO 64119, with reception afterward back at White Chapel Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to be made to Mid-Continent Public Library or to Northcare Hospice House.

Lena was born in Kansas City, KS on June 24,1925. She was married to John Orlich, Sr. for 25 years before they were divorced, however, they remained good friends through the years. She was a very good mother to their four children, Gary, Stephen, Rebecca and John, Jr. They knew they could always count on her. She was a working mother but also found the time to take care of things on the home front as well. She always kept the house in impeccable order and made many improvements to it over the years and had excellent taste in home decorating.

She was a very fast reader and often read a whole book in one day even later in life and could retain what she read. She loved going to the library to check out books. She had many jobs throughout her career, mostly secretarial work. The longest she worked at one place was Mid American Truck Lines in Kansas City, MO where she worked for 18 years as secretary to the President. Other places she worked at included the Post Office, Santa Fe Railway and Kansas City Power and Light. Wherever she worked she was well liked because she never failed to exceed expectations. She thoroughly enjoyed her many retirement years being able to spend more time with her family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her father, Clarence Sherrell, her mother, Lena Sherrell, siblings, Nadine Sherrell, Dixie Huckleberry, Warren Sherrell, Edward Sherrell, ex-husband, John Orlich, Sr and child, Gary Orlich.

She is survived by her children, Stephen Orlich (Mary Anne), Rebecca Helm (Gary) and John Orlich, Jr. (Babette), four grandchildren, Gary Orlich, Jr (LeaAnne), Nicoya Helm (Shawn Tolivar), Julie Hawkins (Charles) and Brian Orlich and four great grandchildren, Oskar Hawkins, Quenton Hawkins, Savannah Orlich and Gavin Orlich.