Lorraine Ann Burns

Lorraine Ann Burns

January 10, 1932 – March 18, 2025

Lafayette, Colorado

“I Just Feel Like My Whole Life Was a Blessing from God.”

Lorraine Ann Burns, (a.k.a. Mom, GiGi, obaasan, abuela, Gma, Sky Captain, and Dear Friend) passed peacefully into the arms of Jesus on March 18 at the age of 93. She was the second of two daughters born to Cecelia Schauer and Clayton Arle on January 10, 1932, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Her older sister Marion was born twelve years earlier. When Lorraine was nine, her mother remarried Charlie Shepherd, and they moved to Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Lorraine graduated from Mary T. Bradford High School in 1949. She was a member of the Girls Athletic Assos., school newspaper staff, library club, bowling team and Kenosha Little Theater Group. She liked the music of Frankie Laine, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennet and the Stan Kenton band. She also enjoyed listening to the New York Metropolitan Opera on the radio and playing vinyl records of classical music.

After high school she went to the University of Wisconsin and studied bookkeeping. She worked as a farm laborer, bakery worker and Kroger cashier until landing the position of Messenger – Mail Clerk at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center outside of Chicago when she was eighteen. She commuted the 20 miles by train for a while, then moved down to Waukegan, Illinois with a friend. Between 1950 and 1954, she was successively promoted into supervisory, payroll and accounting positions. She became a reporter for the NTC’s newspaper, the DIARY, while she worked in the Cost and Reports department. She was the highest woman bowler on the National Federation of Federal Employees bowling team, and third highest bowler on the Waukegan Business Women’s League.

The Training Center also had a theater group, and Lorraine joined them as their secretary, and as an actor. It was there that she met her first husband, Thomas W. Burns, an electrician working for GLNTC. They met in July of 1953 working on “The Taming of the Shrew.” He proposed to her at his family’s Thanksgiving dinner the same year and they were married on February 13, 1954. They had six children – Christopher, Claudia (Walters), Paula (Keller), Andi, Peter and Jon, between 1954 and 1962 and moved from Illinois to Colorado.

Accommodations varied. The family lived in tiny apartments, large houses with extended family, shacks and mobile homes while family homes were being built and eventually moved into a Double A-frame that Tom designed on seven acres in the foothills of the Rockies. At times there wasn’t any electricity or running water. Comfort was six kids in the bed when the power went out. Luxury was a shoveled path to the outhouse, and adventure was dealing with rattlesnakes, bears and mountain lions.

They also took several long excursions in the summers to visit family and explore numerous National Parks and Historical Sights. Imagine two adults and six squirming children (sometimes with Tramp, the dog), squeezed into a station wagon, towing a pop-up camper. This marathon road roaming took the family to such places as Los Angeles, Washington state, Yellowstone Park, Mount Rushmore, across Lake Michigan, Canada, and New England. My mother would say, “We didn’t have vacations per se; my husband would take us on these cross-country ‘trips’. Vacations are a lot of work for mothers.” However, we don’t recall her ever complaining. We do remember warm beds, good food, campfire singing, bedtime stories, cuddling and lots of laughter.

In 1967, Tom got a new job in upstate New York, sold the home in Conifer and moved the family to the suburbs of Rochester, New York. In 1974, after being a devoted homemaker for 20 years, Lorraine found herself back in the job market as a single parent, having to care for six children between the ages of twenty and twelve. In a letter to McCall’s magazine at that time, she wrote,

“I’d like to see someone address the fears, moods, and new freedoms that older women face today. Raised and taught to be a wife and mother, then suddenly divorced and back in the workforce. I was very fortunate as my skills came back quickly. I realize many young women go through the same thing today with young children, but they do have youth on their side. I think it is much harder on women forty or over because of their upbringing and traditions.”

She became employed at the Town of Henrietta, a suburb of Rochester. She started as a Payroll & Accounting Clerk and was promoted several times until she became the Director of Personnel & Payroll. Her supervisors spoke well of her, mentioning her cooperation, industriousness, professionalism and ability to handle numerous complex tasks. “She has extremely high values and loyalty to the job – most unusual in today’s indifference attitude. She has good contact both one-on-one and on the phone. She does an especially good job when researching historical information. Her work is deadline oriented, and she does an excellent job. She’s extremely well organized and effective. Her job is very sensitive and demands confidentiality; she does this well! Her attendance is excellent, even though she works with pain a great deal of the time.”

Lorraine invested her time not only in her job and raising her children, but also in her community and church. She felt “drawn to wallflowers and underdogs.” When she spoke of this period of her life, she said’ “It took me nearly five years of hard work, reassessing my values, counseling and inner strength through prayer, to raise teenagers who were going through their own traumatic changes with drugs, divorce, peer pressure and plain old growing up. I knew that I could make it on my own and that the whole world was available to me. I decided I could be comfortable and happy with and by myself. I could survive! When my marriage broke up, I dealt with it by praying, crying a lot, and I went on with the care of my six kids. I found out how strong I actually am. In a way, it was a blessing.”

She volunteered for Voter Registration and Monitoring, taught English as a Second Language class, cooked for various fundraising events and church dinners, led Bible Study groups, and was a Girl Scout Troop Leader. From 1971-1982, she participated in a women’s bowling league, traveling around the state participating in women’s bowling championships. During that time, she also met her second husband, Frank Indovino. They were married in September of 1980 on Maui, Hawaii and remained together until Frank’s death in 1994.

Together they continued her generosity, opening their home and resources to many in need. Lorraine donated money to many charities, among them: Samaritan’s purse, Angel Tree, Prison Fellowship, Shoeboxes for Children, and St. Labre Indian School. She also sponsored several children through Compassion International, corresponding with them for years.

In 1982, at the age of 50, she enrolled in a Travel and Tourism program at Monroe Community College. She not only gained a certificate, but also three life-long friends with whom she traveled the world. In their loving company and with family, Lorraine went to Alaska, Australia, Austria, the Caribbean, Czech Republic, England, Germany, Greece, Hawaii, Holland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Spain. Her kindness and open heartedness were now being spread abroad, and she gained many more long-term friends.

She retired from the Town of Henrietta in 2008, after 34 years of service. In 2009, Lorraine relocated to Arlington, Nebraska to live near her second daughter, Paula and her husband Fred. After four years there, she moved to Denver, Colorado to be near her first daughter, Claudia and second son, Peter.

In her spare time, Lorraine enjoyed reading, doing crosswords, watching mysteries on TV and playing games of all sorts. Her favorite times were holidays and family game nights. She was competitive, enthusiastic, and always a good sport. Her sense of humor would suddenly show itself, having her children rolling with laughter. Her passion in life was her children and grandchildren. For her, “Perfect happiness is knowing your family is fine and happy.” She gave generously of her time, even though she was busy and dealing with increasing health issues. She found joy in helping others. Her faith in God was central to her life and she put that faith in action. She prayed and gave.

Lorraine is preceded in death by her parents, stepfather, sister, aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, in-laws and two husbands. She is survived by her six children, thirteen grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, a niece and many friends worldwide she made along the way.

Her legacy is in the lessons she taught us by example. Have an honest work ethic. Take pride in and love your job. Care about the people you interact with; get to know them, encourage them and remember their birthdays. Open your home to extended family and strangers. Reach out to the lonely. Feed and clothe the needy. Make the world a better place. Enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. Practice patience and forgiveness. She would say to us, “Don’t give up on God because He doesn’t give up on you.”

Her legacy is also in the memories of those who knew her. Their words follow.

“For every lesson you taught, toy that you bought, shoe that you tied, tear that you dried, knee that you patched, sock that you matched, lunch that you made, game that you played ... thanks, Mom. The only person in the room to know the four-letter word for 23 Across: ‘Prefix for trust or oxidant.’ She always remembered to send a card for your birthday, and your spouse’s.” - Son Chris

“Mom was the definition of generosity and kind-spiritedness. She has earned my respect – she endured difficult times with dignity and grace. She earned my gratitude for being there when I needed. She was strong, loving, beautiful (in and out), giving, generous, faithful, Full of faith.” - Daughter Claudia

“She was generous with all things ... whether it be food, provisions, transportation, money ... love! I saw my mom grow so much in her love and trust in the Lord; she remained a beacon of light in my own faith. Mom had the patience of an angel! She had such a generous spirit that she was always looking for ways to bless other people. She trusted the Lord and knew that prayer was her greatest ally. She taught me a lot about the love of gardening, sewing and cooking.” - Daughter Paula

“She was a loyal friend. Mom enjoyed the beauty of nature so much, sometimes to the point of grateful tears. I loved that she was a philanthropist. I liked that mom loved to play games, losing and winning graciously. She loved to read, travel and have adventures. She always had food around. She always believed in us. She had endurance. She placed others’ needs first. She opened her home to shelter those in need.” - Daughter Andi

“I grew up thinking my father was everything, but as I began to raise my own children, I soon learned what it took to be a parent. That is when I saw my mother as the TRUE strength behind my childhood. My heart is filled with so many words of love and admiration. She was such a loving and kindhearted mother / grandma / great grandma and human. She taught me the value of a hard-earned dollar. I learned to be a good steward of all that God has Blessed me with because of her example.” - Son Peter

“When I was little, mom and I had our quiet time when all the other kids were at school. I’d sneak under her newspaper and coffee to sit on her warm lap. Sometimes no words were spoken. She was so warm. I felt so safe and loved. She taught me too much to be listed, but the three things I want to mention are ... Love, Acceptance and Forgiveness. I taught her Patience. I thank her and apologize for putting up with all the shit me, my brother and our friends put her through in our teens. How patient and selfless she was! I will always love my mother forever and ever.” - Son Jon

“She was the ‘coolest’ mom and lady. Always smiling, seldom frowning – a testament to her flexibility, patience and compassion for others, and difficult situations and people! The most profound statements of her qualities are found in the six children she raised – their characters – caring, warm, selfless, creative men and women. Thank you for sharing your first-born son with me. And on behalf of Andres – he has the best dad ever because of you!” - Daughter-in-law Sharon

“She was such a good listener. She loved unconditionally. She didn’t remind us of our shortcomings. She showed grace, love and mercy. I liked how she always thought to tip maids, doormen, or whoever else. She had class! She loved Jesus.” - Son-in-law Fred

“So blessed to have had her in my life. I looked up to her words of wisdom. I was so thankful to hear her words of wisdom as my neighbor and a special friend. She always gave me good advice with Jon and the girls. I miss that. It was amazing how fast she could read a book. I believe that is why she was so sharp and witty.” - Daughter-in-law Kimiko

“Playing games with Grandma helped grow my deep affinity and interest in games. It helped grow my competitive spirit. Spending this quality time with her doing something we both loved was invaluable to me. I enjoyed looking back at the past with her. She did many acts of kindness and generosity that embodied how she always lived her life - with others in mind. My graduations were made a little brighter by her attendance. And seeing her smiling face really showed me how proud she was. - Grandson Andres

“She was an honorable person and followed her beliefs faithfully. She had such a great sense of humor and I’m so grateful to have had her in my life! She was a hip Facebooker. She always had a story to tell. She was always happy to see you. She spoke her mind. She always had a smile on her face. Grandma was a deceptively strong woman. The challenges she faced in her time did not make her bitter or disenchanted with this life... things that would have broken a lesser woman. She still loved every day! She set a good example of how to love. She loved without expectation. We shared the same love of reading and travel. I can’t wait to follow her footsteps around the world.” - Granddaughter Jessica

“She was clever, knowledgeable, a good sport and sweet.” - Grandson Wesley

“She loved everyone! She taught me that the Bible helps. Her home was always open for love. She always made sure that we were all okay. She clipped coupons and articles that were important for family members.” - Grandson Mark

“I loved how supportive she was of my artistic talents. She never gave up on me. She gave me shelter in my time of need. I loved watching movies with her.” - Grandson Michael

“She was a strong and wise woman, who had been through a lot and raised lots of kids. She was an amazing lady who had much to teach us. She always had a beautiful smile. She was around the longest and we know she was the strongest. With a golden heart ever so big and with a mind that was ever so wise. Always taking care of many with plenty of unconditional love to go around. She was the best grandma in this whole wide town. Her warm hugs and kisses always sent me wishes of sweet love, kindness and caring. But I have to remember the best grandmas are for sharing. (Especially the ones with white curly hair.)” - Granddaughter & great grandkids Dree, Michael and Kristalynn.

“Sky captain! One wise woman. Our witty example. Role model. Unforgettable. Spiritual rock. Mother, grandmother and great grandmother to us all.” - Grandson Ben

“I appreciate her for starting our wonderful family, and I admire her because of her strength and wisdom. I remember growing up that grandma was always the first person to make sure everyone was safe and happy, because she only wanted the best for everyone! Grandma was a survivor and a nurturer. She was an amazing, beautiful person, thoughtful in every situation, kindhearted.” - Granddaughter Corina

“Grandma was such a wonderful person to our family. She meant so much to me. She was always thinking of others and had such a kind heart. She was the sweetest grandma I ever met.” - Granddaughter Megan

“I loved giving her big hugs (Best hugs I ever received), and hearing funny stories about my dad when he was little. I’m grateful for her bringing me to church almost every day when I was little! She always knew how to cheer me up when I was sad. She was so amazingly kind to everyone! Her love for Megan and I shaped us as people.” - Granddaughter Katie

“I loved the way she and her children treated me so special. I feel blessed to share the same birthday as her.” - Niece Linda

“She was always so nice and made me feel like part of the family! I enjoyed the time we spent in her home. She was amazing for putting up with this crazy family through the years. She truly was a vessel of the Holy Spirit with her kind nature.” - Jennifer

“She was one of the most loving and forgiving people I have ever known. She had a gentle heart and not a mean bone in her body!” - Sherry

“My friend of many years, she was a dream come true for her help and caring. If I needed help, I knew who to call. If I needed a friend, I knew who to call. She was always at the top of my list.” - Sylvia

“I will always remember the evening class at MCC: Travel Geography. She sat next to me. I now realize that was in Jesus’ plan! She always added so much to our travels. We called her “Social Director’. She always reflected the love of Jesus.” - Darlene

“What good times we had traveling together.” - Lee

“I enjoyed seeing her face light up when she would spend quality time with her great grandkids.” - Rachel

“We met Lorraine around 2003. Lorraine was like my parents in USA ... kindly invite us for dinner, especially during holidays ... kept sending me birthday cards ... kindness goes beyond the cards ... truly showed me love from Christ.” - Yanbin Luo

“During our stay in the USA, she taught me patiently how to learn English well on Thursdays. These always appeared in my mind. She was so serious that we will never forget her, and her American Christianity friends gave a good impression.” - Yin Wenyu

“When I learned English together with her, I enjoy that time and I always hope Thursday come quickly. She was so kind, so humorous and hopeful, and had a very great heart. She was so good, that God will bless her, peaceful forever!” - Quanfen-Wen

“She was like our grandma to us, so nice to us!” - Yonda & Ying

“Your mom was a sweetheart ... kept up with cards even through the pandemic.” - Tom

“Lorraine was always excellent at keeping in touch ... always joyful, thankful and encouraging.” - Jasmine & Shaun

“Her love and hospitality blessed us, and we will never forget what a wonderful and caring person she was. Kind, caring and one who reached out. She will be missed by so many!” - Craig & Nancy

“Lorraine was one of the nicest persons we ever met.” - David & Joycelyn

“We remember going over to play games with her. She loved games!” - Susan & Wes

“We knew each other for over fifty years, and I can say I was very lucky to share our friendship.” - Sandy

“I appreciated her prayers and support while attending church with her.” - Marci

“I worked with Lorraine at the town for about twenty years. She was always friendly, helpful, caring and generous – not only with her time but also with gifts at Christmas and birthdays. And food treats, like Frank’s chocolate-covered strawberries. She was a dedicated employee who always tried to do the best possible job she could ... a wonderful co-worker. Irises were an example of her generosity. When she was selling her house, she brought some that had been dug up from her garden. Even though she was busy, she still found time to give. Years later they are still blooming.” - Marie

There was a lot to learn from Lorraine, from being strong and persevering, to loving and forgiving. We are all so incredibly grateful to have had someone like her imparting wisdom to all those she met, with a few jokes added. May her memory bring comfort and inspiration to us all.

The family is having a private memorial celebration in the spring. If you would like to honor Lorraine, please consider donating to Compassion International in her name, via the following link https://www.compassion.com/ways-to-donate.htm.