Lorene Higgins Rhea

January 18, 1924 - June 3, 2022

Lorene Higgins Rhea departed this life on Friday, June 3, 2022, at the age of 98 years, 4 months, and 16 days. She was born in Hardin County, Tennessee, on January 18, 1924, the daughter of the late Robert and Bessie Morton Haynes. On July 5, 1941, she was united in marriage to J.C. Higgins, who preceded her in death on July 9, 1971. She later married Arthur Rhea on May 2, 1980. He preceded her in death on May 6, 1981. Lorene lived through many things including, 14 presidents, the Great Depression, and World War II. She was the oldest member of Hopewell Baptist Church, being a member of the church since 1937. Lorene was very active in the church, teaching Sunday school, being an outreach leader, calling, visiting, and sending out cards to anyone needing encouragement. Her five boys were her life and she did anything to provide for them, and her seven grandkids kept her going. She was a devoted prayer warrior for her family. Lorene also enjoyed sewing, gardening and growing flowers, cooking for her family, quilting, and playing Dominoes, which she was a champion of. She even cut hair for the community...you could call her a "jack of all trades". Lorene is survived by her sons, Douglas Higgins and his wife Linda, David Higgins, Merle Higgins, and Freddy Higgins and his wife Annice, all of Savannah, Tennessee; stepsons, Jerry Rhea of Spring Hill, Tennessee, and Tony Rhea of Bethel Springs, Tennessee; sister, Linda Scott of Savannah, Tennessee; grandchildren, Amy Rickman and her husband Roger, Sondra Franks and her husband Pokey, Rhonda Dempsey and her husband Philip, and Candace Tidwell and her husband Matt; 11 great grandchildren; and 11 great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Bessie Haynes; first husband, J.C. Higgins; second husband, Arthur Rhea; son, Bruce Higgins; stepsons, Donald Rhea and Danny Rhea; brothers, L.V. Haynes, Paul Haynes, and Floyd Haynes; grandchildren, Anthony Higgins, Rickey Higgins, and Daniel Higgins; and great-great grandchild, Jackson Rhodes. For those who wish, memorials may be made to a Hopewell Baptist Church, 9845 Highway 128, Savannah, TN 38372, in her memory.