The hands of our Father lifted Lorrene S. (Backhaus) Schiermeister into heaven on October 16, 2011. Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. at Peace Lutheran Church, Linton, ND on Saturday, October 22, 2011 with Rev. Fred Henkelmann officiating. Burial will be in the Linton Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Friday, October 21, 2011 at Myers Funeral Home, Linton, ND. Visitation will continue for one hour before services at the church on Saturday. Lorrene was born on a farmstead in Emmons County on November 6, 1930 to John and Katie (Goehring) Backhaus. The fourth of ten children, Lorrene was always ambitious with good work ethics. She worked on the family farm and following the move into Linton, waited tables at the Linton Bakery. After graduating from Linton High School, she continued her education at Valley City Teachers College. With certificate in hand, she taught country school for several years at the Hampton and Gayton Schools. Lorrene wed Victor Schiermeister on June 3, 1951. Her next endeavor was a position with the Kidder County Welfare Office in Steele, ND. Shortly thereafter, they made their home in Linton and started a family. They were blessed with five children. Lorrene excelled as an elected official between the Emmons County Treasure office and Register of Deeds office. She served from the fifties until the early eighties. Some of her professional occupations included real estate agent, tax preparer at H & R Block, flagger, pilot car driver, security guard, and EMT, as well as teacher for the state EMT certification classes for many years. Lorrene was very involved in her community. She was a past president in the American Legion Auxiliary, an organization she was active in for more than 50 years. She was a lifetime member of Linton's Peace Lutheran Church, where she was baptized, confirmed and married. Lorrene was also Chairman of the American Red Cross, a 4-H leader, and member of the Beaver Valley Horse Club. One of her first loves was horse-back riding with her family and she was a champion barrel racer. She enjoyed the outdoors, especially gardening and hunting. She loved to play cards, especially pinochle. She enjoyed reading, traveling, cooking and spending time with her family and friends. In her later days, Linton's Red Hat Society was a wonderful social activity. Her approach to life expressed her strong feelings for God and Country. Lorrene was a warm and loving woman who led by example and was a strong role model. She was very family-oriented and was like a second mother or grandmother to many. Lorrene had a great sense of humor, and her positive, outgoing nature, drew people to her, making it easy for her to make friends. Lorrene leaves behind her children: Vicki (Andy) Wagner, Bismarck, ND, Candace (Dave) Anderson, Brier, WA, Scott (Lori) Schiermeister, Spokane, WA, Twyla Schiermeister, Strasburg, ND, Ida(Luke) Thornton, Lake Stevens, WA; her grandchildren: Bobbi Wagner, Jerry Thornton (Trent Olson), Jaimy Thornton, Riki Schiermeister, Aaron Anderson, Evan Anderson, Dakota Schiermeister, Lorrene Rose Schiermeister; eight siblings: Lila (Neil) Beitelspacher, Linton, ND, Freda (John) Allensworth, Bismarck, ND, Arlene (Albert) Grenz, Linton, ND, Otto (Phyllis) Backhaus, Bismarck, ND, Caroline (Warren) Newton, Fair Oaks, CA, Rosalie (Jim) Garner, Stark City, MO, Hilmer (Jan) Backhaus, Azle, TX, John (Linda) Backhaus, Garrison, ND; one brother-in-law, Herbert Schiermeister, Wyckoff, NJ, one sister-in-law, Norma Schiermiester, Buffalo, WY, two aunts, Irene Backhaus, Linton, ND and Monica Backhaus, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Victor Schiermeister in 2004; parents, John and Katie Backhaus, and one sister, Phyllis Grenz. Our beloved mother, grandmother, sister and friend took her final journey home on October 16, 2011.