Lori Hirsch

(From Parker Mortuary)

Lori Ann Hirsch, 61, of Joplin, Missouri passed away Tuesday, August 10, 2021.

Lori was born January 18, 1960 in Kansas City, Missouri to the late Leroy and Helen (Strecker) Hirsch. Lori attended Joplin schools, graduating from Parkwood High School in 1978.

Lori has spent many years working in the trucking industry as a customer service representative. She had a vast knowledge of the trucking industry and was always willing to take on several additional roles. Over the years she has worked at Traffic Tech, Sitton Motor Lines, Tri-State Distribution Center, and most recently TMC Transportation.

Lori can easily be remembered for her determination, her admiral work ethic and joyous room filling laugh, her sweet kind eyes and beautiful soul. Her thirst for life and everything it had to offer was insurmountable. 

Throughout her life she had a love of Yoga and spent most of her free time enjoying her yoga practices and educating herself in becoming a certified yoga instructor which she accomplished on 4/22/2020. Lori also thoroughly enjoyed the arts; you could find her in the kitchen cooking and baking something absolutely exquisite. She also enjoyed movies, tv shows and had a vast love of some of the best music of her time. She did often write her own poetry which she kept private. 

Lori loved to travel and often loved to go on vacations with her best girl friends; Cristy Cramer Wimer, Cristi Caviglia and Sharon Soberon. Whether it be to the lake, ocean, or simply out to lunch and shopping, sharing a laugh with her friends was one of her favorite things and we know she valued that time spent.

More than anything Lori loved her four beautifully unique children and spending quality time with them. They jammed out to their favorite rock classics, and she cheered them on in their many ventures such as starting a business, raising a family or teaching them her love for cooking or how to be chaotically organized. Each bond with her kids was as unique as each of her kids, which spoke to her abilities as a Mother to raise four capable intelligent wonderful adults. The memories and life lessons she passed onto her children will forever be cherished and as irreplaceable as she was in their lives.

In addition to her kids, she loved spending quality time with her grandchildren and making lasting memories with each of them. Just like her own children, her grand babies were her whole world! She would take them each on special dates to the falls, greenhouse, lunch, or walking park. Those irreplaceable moments helped to shape and mold an everlasting bond between her and her “grands” as she loved to call them, a bond that will never be broken.

Love found Lori later in her life, but as we have all learned it’s about quality not quantity of time spent together, and for that we thank Mark. Mark made her laugh, made her feel truly loved and seen as a person in a way we all long for. Mark took pleasure in cooking for her, watching movies with her and going out and being in nature. They traveled and explored a lot together and that made her heart whole.

Lori cherished the time spent and memories created with her life partner, children, grandchildren, family, and friends. She loved deeply and was deeply loved. Lori will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Lori is survived by her children, Rachael Duff- Thomas (Jonathan), Amalie Duff, Gretchen Duff Sariego (Michael), Jacob Duff; their Father David Duff, grandchildren, Maliena Thomas, Jonathan Thomas, Jr., Lynnen Thomas, Leland Thomas, Miles Thomas, Anthony Sariego; brother, Glenn Hirsch; together with many extended family and friends.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, August 15, 2021 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at Parker Mortuary Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to an account in Amalie’s name at Southwest Missouri Bank that will cover any expenses the family incurs.