“Trouble knocked on the door, hearing laughter hurried away.”
We were blessed to learn many valuable lessons from Lorraine during her 70 years, among them: No matter the season, surround yourself with noisy toys to help spread the holiday cheer. Keep the neighbors guessing by drinking out of a stainless steel travel mug when you are outside. Phone ahead or knock really loud when you arrive at the house in case someone is doing housework in the buff. Keep your family and guests entertained by creating bizarre side dishes – hickory stick salad anyone? Help whomever you can whenever you can and always ensure you volunteer your family to assist you in your philanthropic causes. When buying new shoes always leave the shoe box at the store, that way it is easier to conceal your new purchase. This is the same advice for purchasing flowers for your garden; plant them before anyone gets home and act like they have been there all along.
Give to charity. Choose to believe the best about what they do with your money, no matter what your children say they discovered online. Always speak your truth; people should always know where you stand and what your beliefs are. Never be bossy; always know what other people should be doing and feel free to tell them. Janitors and secretaries hold the real power and authority at a school, always be kind and respectful to both. It is acceptable and even considered the norm to rearrange your living space to make room for an indoor trampoline for the grandchildren.
Provide a warm meal and an inviting bed for any friend, family or hitchhiker in need. Always pack extra in your lunch you never know who you might have to feed. Ensure your deep freeze is always full; you never know who may show up for dinner, when you will have to cook a Thanksgiving dinner for another family, cater a spontaneous wedding, provide baking for a bake sale, or when the kids will be home for the weekend. When baking a desert item if the recipe fails spread chocolate chips over the top of it while still hot, no one will notice your cooking blunder.
Always remember to laugh out loud and be your wild, courageous self-everyday no matter what.
We hope you read this and recall a time when she touched your heart, tickled your funny bone, or maybe made you say “huh?”, or you were the recipient of her generosity or you were lucky enough to be invited over for a meal.
Left to celebrate her life, love and laughter are her loving husband Wendel and daughters Donna, granddaughter Damara (Felipe) and great grandchildren Zorion and Alaia; Trish (Ben) and grandson Johnathan; and Wendy (Rick) and granddaughters Kiara, Pippa, Sophie & Norah; her sisters and their families, many aunts, uncles, in-laws, cousins, nieces, nephews, family and friends too numerous to list but not forgotten.
No service by request. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Cariboo Memorial Hospital Chemotherapy Clinic for the purchase of equipment to help make patients’ treatments more comfortable. Lorraine appreciated the warm atmosphere and company while receiving treatment and wanted to provide the same for others.
A celebration of life to follow at a later date.