Condolence: I first met Lorraine when I started working at Siemens Hearing Instruments in 1980. I am not sure how but, when I was at work, she became my Mom away from home”. Within two years Gus and I were expecting our first child and it was time to say goodbye to my friends at Siemens. Before I left in July, Lorraine arranged a baby shower for me at work. I remember being floored by her generosity.
Spencer was born the end of August and I didn’t have time to think about anything but how to survive another day! Sometime in December, Lorraine invited us to come over for dinner one day between Christmas and New Years. When we arrived we found that Lorraine, Barbara, and Donna, had wrapped a huge pile of gifts for Spencer. We were again floored! Thus began the holiday tradition of dinner and gifts at Lorraine’s usually on a Saturday or Sunday between Christmas and New Years. Her wonderful lasagna and salad with garlic bread became a tradition too. As the years went by, we took turns; one year at her house, the next year at our house. For us it was the high point of the holiday season whether at our house or Lorraine’s.
Dinner was always an adventure at our house as Spencer had food allergies when he was younger, we were “health food nuts” and eventually we became vegetarian. We did not eat “normal food” by any stretch of the imagination. Barbara usually squirmed at the thought of trying something she’d never eaten before, Lorraine usually made some funny comment about what she had been served, Donna never complained as long as she had a glass of white wine, and Tom, who by then had become a part of the yearly tradition, seemed to be the most adventuresome of them all.
Every year we added new traditions of our own. The children were required by us to “make” a gift for each person. They started thinking about what they would make sometime during the summer, and by the time Christmas came they were really excited about giving their gifts. We even made homemade granola for Tom.
Our last holiday together was in 2006. Frankly I can’t remember who’s house it was at, but the following year we moved to Texas. Then we kept up by phone calls and letters. The following are some of the highlights we remember:
-The large red fire truck with the ladder they gave Spencer one year. For years, he raced behind it as he ran through the house bouncing off furniture and leaving big gouges. Who would have thought one day he would become a fireman! Now Spencer’s sons are playing with that same truck.
-The year I was so busy shoving food in Spencer’s mouth and talking away that I never noticed that Spencer’s mouth was so full he was almost choking. Thanks Barbara for pointing it out, you may have saved his life!
-The big yellow Tonka truck they gave him which was one of Spencer’s favorite toys and survived to be one of Graeme’s favorites too.
-The year we arrived at Barbara’s house just in time for Spencer to throw up along side the curb.
-Barbara’s roasted canned potatoes with the paprika on top that we all loved and still talk about.
-The Emergency vehicle that talked and said “one o one do you have a message?” It nearly drove us crazy( all day every day) but then who would have thought Spencer would one day be a Paramedic too?
-The year Graeme , after opening the last gift said; “is that all?” ruining our perfect track record of grateful children.
-Pool parties in the summer with Lorraine’s family which were always lot’s of fun and there was always so much good food!

- Lorraine’s Santa that played “Jingle Bell Rock” and mesmerized my kids.
-The year we listened to Italian love songs after dinner while sitting around the table and suddenly we were all holding hands, and swaying back and forth singing ”When the moon hit’s your eye like a big pizza pie that’s A’more”.
-The year Donna was sitting at our dining room table, watching the wooden crèche’/ “Angel Twirly Doodle” spinning (around activated by the heat of the candles) and she commented: “I had no idea the Blessed Mother was Chinese”.
-The year Barbara sat at my dining room table and said she would eat salad every day if it tasted as good as mine.


Lorraine will always be a part of us, her wit and humor, her generous spirit, her never ending love, and even her fierce independence have been and still are an inspiration to each of us. We miss you Lorraine!

Condolence: TRULY SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT MOM. WE HAVE NOTHING BUT FOND MEMMORIES OF ALL OUR VISITS WITH YOU ALL & CARMEN IN SAYERVILLE.
LOVE TO ALL.