REESE, Jorene

Meldrum Mortuary & Crematory, Mesa, Arizona Jorene Reese May 31, 1961 ~ April 21, 2013 Jorene Reese was born in Detroit, Mich. to John Joseph Reese and Muriel May (DePottey). Jorene passed on in Phoenix, AZ at Banner Good Samaritan on April 21, 2013 at age 51. She will be greatly missed by her only son, Zachary A. Reese and his father, Nephi Kemper, her life-long childhood friend Renee Ebert, as well as many, many other loved ones. While growing up, Jorene had a strong sense of the spirit of family. She tried very hard to bring and preserve precious memories to her four brothers and parents, often the only one that would participate in holidays, or other wholesome family occasions or traditions. In her early life, Jorene attended Greenfield Park Grade School, and Cass Tech High School in Detroit. She was a friendly and outgoing person to her classmates, and had several extra-curricular interests. Jorene enjoyed learning to play the cello for years, and later shared her talent with her son, who also picked up playing the cello. Her life-long passion for music of all forms may have stemmed from walking by Motown Records on her way to school as a child. Jorene went on to major in Botany at Salt Lake Community College in Utah. She utilized her love of living beings by caring for gardens, flowers, house plants, and pets everywhere she ever lived. Jorene had a strong-willed, independent, passionate, and honest personality. She was an inventor and entrepreneur, but focused most of her skills on a 20 year career in mortgage/ finance services in Arizona. Jorene was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer in mid 2011. Jorene fought a long and hard battle with a very aggressive and rare type of tumor, but she never gave up hope and determination to heal and live on, despite any suffering. Her drive was a true inspiration. Through Jorene's efforts to seek treatment, her example aided in accomplishing reforms in Arizona's statewide status for granting federal funding to cancer patients in need, by permanently decreasing the obstacles for eligibility. Inquiries about the private memorial service, held May 19, 2013, may be sent to jorenereese@gmail.com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the John C. Lincoln Foundation; 100% of donations will go to give treatment to un-insured patients.