Norene Jeanette Humphries, 86, of McAlester, passed away Thursday, March 10, at her home.  Viewing will be on Monday, March 14, form 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.  Funeral services will be Tuesday, March 15, at 1:00 p.m. at the First Baptist church of McAlester, with Rodney Briggs officiating.  Burial will follow at Memory Gardens Memorial Park.

Norene Humphries was born on Aug. 29, 1935 in Wilmont, S. D. to Dan and Mabel (Munsen) McDonald.  She grew up, for the most part, in Minnesota.  She married Stacey Humphries in Minneapolis, and because he was in the oil business, they moved around a lot.  They came to McAlester from Kentucky in 1982.  Norene worked for the Mills Corporation until her husband passed away in 1988.  Having always been interested in church mission work, Norene was commissioned as a Missionary with the International Mission Board with the Southern Baptist Convention.  She began a 25-year career as a missionary in SE Asia, returning to McAlester in 2003, and retiring a few years later.  Norene was a member of the First Baptist Church of McAlester where she was a long time Sunday School teacher.  And, being a true missionary, her favorite past-time was reading the Bible.

Norene is survived by a son, Stacey D. Humphries of McAlester; a daughter and son-in-law, Robyn and John Wilburn of Ada; a granddaughter, Megan Buckner-Johnson and husband Andrew of Ada; a sister and brother-in-law, Arlene Spurzem and husband Ray of Hutchinson, MN; 2 brothers, Bobby McDonald of Buffalo, MN, and Wally McDonald of Ritchfield, MN.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1988; and her parents; sisters, Margaret, June and Ruth; and brothers, Mack, Wayne and Norman.