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Lorna McQuirk

Lorna Ruth McQuirk 

September 27, 1926 – January 15, 2026 

Lorna Ruth McQuirk (99) entered eternal life peacefully with Jesus Christ, her Savior on  Wednesday, January 15, 2026, at Nazareth Living Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Lorna was born  on September 27, 1926, and was adopted into a loving family by her parents, Emanuel and  Mary E. Rickman in Sioux, Iowa. Lorna’s siblings included a brother, Ross Rickman, and sister,  Inez Ten Napel.  

Lorna was united in Holy Matrimony with Robert (Bob) Lawrence McQuirk on July 24, 1948, in  Sioux City, Iowa. They moved to Omaha, Nebraska where the newlyweds began a family.  Together they shared 64 years of marriage until Bob’s death in 2012. 

Lorna was a devoted wife and mother to their four children: Merrilleen Jean Wilcox; Lynn Marie  Ingrum (deceased) and son-in-law, Chuck Ingrum; Kenneth (Ken) Lawrence McQuirk and  daughter-in-law, Marti McQuirk (deceased); and Loretta Claire Nevins and son-in-law, Howard  Nevins.  

Lorna’s joy were her 10 grandchildren: Dan Wilcox; Joe Wilcox; Stephanie (Steph) Wilcox; Chuck (Liz) Wilcox; April (Pete) Stengel; Geoff (Raechel) Ingrum; Michael (Jill) Ingrum; Robert (Bobby) (Nancy) McQuirk; Adam McQuirk; and Natalie Claire Nevins. Lorna had 14 great grandchildren,  whom she also kept in her prayers, along with several other relatives and friends over the years. 

A beautiful soul, inside and out, Lorna was full of life, hard-working and resourceful. As a young  girl, she earned income from cleaning houses to help support her family during the Great Depression before she began working as a Switchboard Operator at ATT during high school. Bob  and Lorna moved their young family from Nebraska to St. Louis, MO in 1959 where she stayed  home to raise the children, making their clothes and pinching pennies to ensure they all had a  Catholic school education. During these years, Lorna and Bob engaged in church activities, sang in the choir, and enjoyed bridge parties with a close circle of church friends. Lorna eventually  went back to work as a Service Rep at ATT until she retired with full benefits. Bob and Lorna  retired to Camdenton, MO on the Lake of the Ozarks until Bob passed and Lorna moved back to  St. Louis to be near family. 

According to Lorna’s school yearbooks, she was the light in a room and life of a party – but  family knows she was serenely at peace praying the Rosary or reading a book with a cup of tea. With a sharp mind, she was always keen to listen and encourage others. Mom was a safe place  to run. If home is where the heart is, mom is Home. 

Our beloved mother will be sorely missed by family and new friends at Nazareth Living Center  where private services will be held on Friday, January 23.

 

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