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WINSTON-SALEM Lorene Price Mabe July 8, 1920 - Feb. 25, 2015 Lorene Price Mabe, 94, passed away on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 at Arbor Acres Retirement Community. She was part of the Arbor family for the past twelve years.

Born July 8, 1920 in Flint, Michigan to Joseph Smith Price and Minnie Phillips Price, she moved with her parents to Winston-Salem as a young child. Lorene graduated from Mineral Springs High School in 1938 and attended Brevard College in Brevard, NC. She was married to George W. Mabe for 44 years until his death in 1990.Lorene was a lifelong career woman who worked in the tobacco warehouse business until she retired at age 80. Her first job was personal assistant and bookkeeper for local tobacco warehouseman Francis Pepper in the Pepper Building. Mr. Pepper unwittingly introduced her to her future husband when he asked her to write letters to several of his young employees overseas fighting in World War II; saying "she was young and would know what they wanted to hear about". She met her husband George when he returned from Germany in 1945, and figured out she had been the one actually writing the letters from Mr. Pepper. They were married the next year. For over forty years Lorene traveled the tobacco markets with her husband, from Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina to Maryland and Kentucky, serving as office manager and bookkeeper in warehouses he operated or owned. Lorene also worked for several local accounting firms over the years during market off-season. Ironically, her last position was office manager for Pepper's Warehouse in Winston-Salem. In her final year, she consulted with several software developers on programs designed to automate manual tobacco sales accounting processes and integrate sales data with various state tobacco oversight agencies.Ever a lover of the ocean, Lorene wintered on the water in Key West for many years. She was an endearing person whose warmth, sense of humor and "can-do" attitude attracted a large network of friends. Lorene will be remembered for her engaging smile, her generous spirit and the joy she gave to all who knew her. She was a wonderful mother; adored by her three "girls" and their many friends. Her role model as a "working woman" in a time when many were homemakers inspired her daughters to pursue successful careers.

A lifelong member of Ogburn Memorial Methodist Church, now Faith United Methodist Church, Lorene was very active for many years, serving on numerous committees and as church secretary.

She is survived by daughters Janet M. Higgins of Winston-Salem; Carol M. Mabe and husband Bob of Oriental, NC; and Betty Ann M. Stone and husband Joe of Key West, FL. She is also survived by her beloved grandson Keith Barton Higgins and wife Carla of New York City and three-month-old twins great grandson Boe Kenzie Higgins and great granddaughter Beryl Price Higgins.

The family is forever grateful to the staff of Arbor Acres who embraced Lorene with so much kindness and affection over the years, and provided such compassionate care in her final days. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts to the Arbor Acres Resident Assistance Fund, 1240 Arbor Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27104.A memorial service will be held at Salem Funerals, 2599 Reynolda Road at the corner of Polo Road, on Sunday, March 1 at 3:00 p.m. with the Reverend Drew Southern of Faith United Methodist Church officiating. A reception will follow the service. There will be a private burial in the family plot at Forsyth Memorial Park. Online condolences may be made through www.salemfh.com.

Winston Salem Journal February 27, 2015