(November 19, 1945 – August 21, 2026)

Lurene Adrianson, a dedicated educator, devoted wife, loving mother, and proud grandmother, passed away peacefully on August 21, 2026, at the age of 80.

Lurene was born on November 19, 1945, in Fremont, Ohio, to Irving and Bernadine Westcott, and spent her early childhood years in Green Springs, Ohio. Her family later moved to southwest Michigan, where her father farmed and installed agricultural drainage systems for fellow farmers across the region. Lurene grew up a farm girl in the Bangor area participating in 4-H, where she showed sheep. She graduated from Bangor High School with the Class of 1963.

Education was both Lurene’s lifelong calling and her lasting legacy. After earning her bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University, she continued her professional training by earning a certificate in special education teaching from Grand Valley State University. Over the course of a rich career in education, she co-founded the Colon Learning Center with Sharon Drake—introducing young children to the joys of early learning—and spent decades as a passionate reading and special education teacher at Colon Elementary School. She retired in 2005, leaving behind generations of students whose lives were touched by her patience, encouragement, and belief in their potential.

Lurene was an active, generous presence in the communities she called home. In Michigan, she was a faithful attendee of Colon United Methodist Church and a member of the Colon Lions Club. In retirement, she cherished spending winters in Cornelius, North Carolina, where she continued her commitment to fellowship and service as an active member of Cornelius United Methodist Church and the Davidson Lions Club.

At the center of Lurene’s world was her family. She shared a devoted marriage with her husband, Russell Adrianson, building a life grounded in warmth, lively conversation, and hospitality. Lurene was renowned for throwing parties with genuine panache—she loved bringing people together, celebrating life’s milestones, and making every guest feel welcome and celebrated. In quiet hours, she found immense joy in tending to her garden and getting lost in a good detective novel.

Lurene was an extraordinary mother to her four children—Alex, Sara, Adam, and Stacy—and a cherished grandmother to Jared, Ora, and Oberon, each of whom brought immense light and joy to her life.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Irving and Bernadine Westcott, her brother William Westcott, and her in-laws Leon and Donivan Adrianson. 

Lurene is survived by her beloved husband of 60 years, Russell Adrianson; her children, Alex (Jennifer Kraszewski) Adrianson, Sara (Andy) Bidelman, Adam (Aubrey Adrianson) Adrianson, and Stacy (Ben) McCoy; her grandchildren, Jared (Janett Valdez) Miller, Ora Adrianson, and Oberon Adrianson, and sister-in-law Keiko Westcott.

A celebration of Lurene’s life will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at the Colon United Methodist Church at 11:30 AM. Interment will take place following the funeral luncheon at Lakeside Cemetery in Colon, Michigan. Memorial contributions may be made to Colon United Methodist Church envelopes will be available at church.