Lorena Marie Magathan

Lorena Marie Magathan passed away peacefully on November 3, 2024 at the age of 98.

Lorena was born In Homestead, Kansas on October 18,1926 to Martin and Mila Ludwig and lived her entire life in Chase County. She was the youngest of four children and the only daughter. Lorena developed her life-long love of music and flower gardening as well as her determination and spirit during those early years. She idolized her three older brothers – Elmer, Harold, and Phil – and they wholeheartedly returned that feeling throughout their lives.

Lorena attended public schools in Clements where she had received special permission to ride to school with her older brothers – often in the rumble seat of their Model T Ford. She graduated from Clements High School in 1943 where she played on the girls’ basketball team.  Although she never developed a love for football, she remained a basketball fan until her death.

She met Paul Magathan at a barn dance where her brothers were providing the music and she and Paul married on June 10, 1945 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Strong City, KS.  Together they raised 5 children, 3 sons and 2 daughters.

Lorena lived a life characterized by graciousness, selflessness, and compassion for others. She was devoted to her family, her neighbors, and her faith. She served as pianist/organist at St. Patrick’s Church in Florence, KS for many years.

After raising their own children, Lorena and Paul became involved in the Worldwide Farmers Exchange Program welcoming young people into their home from 32 countries, including France, Holland, Hungary, Poland, and multiple Latin American countries.  For 28 years, they shared their lives and their values with these students. While learning American farming techniques from Paul, they experienced love and acceptance from Lorena. She treated each of them as one of her own family and during their stay they acquired a second mother.  The students’ lasting love and appreciation was demonstrated in later years when several of them invited Lorena and Paul to travel to Europe and welcomed them into their own homes often to celebrate marriages, baptisms or other life events.

Lorena’s generous hospitality was only exceeded by her love of playing cards!  It was rare that a visitor left her presence with playing a round or two of her favorite games.

Lorena was preceded in death by her husband of 72 years, Paul Magathan, her parents and her three brothers. She is survived by her five children, Emmett Martin Magathan (Mary Beth), Charles Leo Magathan (Mary), Paul Joseph Magathan (Cheryl), Mary Barnes, and Frances Imogene Devlin (Mike) and by 15 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandchild.

We will miss her laughter and her spirit terribly, but we know she is still a part of everything… just in a different way.

Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Friday, November 8, 2024, at the Brown Bennett Alexander Funeral Home in Cottonwood Falls, KS. Parish rosary will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, November 9, 2024, with Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 11:00 a.m. at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Strong City, KS. After a luncheon at the church, the burial will take place at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Emporia, KS at 2:30 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Olathe Health Hospice House or St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Strong City, KS, in care of Brown-Bennett-Alexander Funeral Home PO Box 220 Cottonwood Falls, KS 66845.

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