Lorene T. Heerdegen

Lorene T. Heerdegen (nee Saliba) passed away on August 1, 2023. She was born on April 10, 1945 in Toledo, Ohio, and graduated from DeVilbiss High School. She later moved to Lake St. Louis, MO, where she raised her family and spent most of her career working in the food service industry, cooking, serving and catering.

Lorene cared deeply for her family and always put the needs and wants of her children and grandchildren first. She knew how to make the most wonderful meals and always made sure to handwrite her recipes for her kids so that they could enjoy them for many years to come. That later turned into endless pins on Pinterest (always emailing them to her children) and you were always sure to find a great new recipe that was worth a try! Lorene was incredibly proud of her Syrian and Lebanese heritage and very much loved to make homemade stuffed grape leaves, meat pies and hummus with her children and grandchildren. She was never afraid to drive all the way across town to get the right ingredients at international grocery stores or take detours to unfamiliar parts of the city to get the best cookies or other culinary delights. Holidays were incredibly meaningful to Lorene too. She always made sure to go all out for her family to make it as special and as memorable as could be.

Lorene’s passion for crafting and sewing was unparalleled. She had a tenacious drive to learn new things and to seek out new ideas so that she could gift others with something special, meaningful and handmade. Her love for nostalgia ran deep and she cherished every gift she ever gave or received. Her generosity was something to be treasured and her compassion for others was most prevalent.

Some of Lorene’s most coveted memories were when she was able to enjoy vacations in Captiva Island, Florida. She simply loved the beach and searching for seashells. She could expertly pack a car for an entire family of 5, no matter how stressful it was, and seamlessly pull it off every single time! Whatever it took for her family, she did it. The beach and a book was her happy place.

Lorene was truly special and she deserved all the good things life had to offer. May she enjoy an eternity of peace and comfort. She will be sorely missed, warmly remembered and forever loved. Thank you, Mom, for giving us life and your love.

Lorene was preceded in death by her beloved son, Matthew Heerdegen, and parents, Samuel and Mary Saliba. She is survived by her daughters, Heather Birch and Holly Whittington (Dawn), and grandchildren, Sophie and Eli Birch, and Luke Whittington. Visitation will be held on Friday, August 4, 2023 at 10:00 A.M. with Funeral Services to Follow at 11:00 A.M. at Kriegshauser Mortuary West, 9450 Olive Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63132.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.kriegshausermortuary.com for the Heerdegen family.