Obituary of Lorraine Anderson

Lorraine Anderson, a loving wife and mother who helped improve her church and her community, died peacefully Oct. 22 with her daughters and long-time pastor at her side. She was 86. Lorraine Soderberg was born July 25, 1928 in Springvale and attended grade school there until she moved with her family to Blomford in 1938. Sometime in 1946, Lorraine went on a double date with her friend and two young men. But it was her friend's date who caught her eye. She joked that she and Orville were winking at each other from the start. She began dating Orville shortly thereafter in February 1946. They fell for each other quickly. Orville often swooped in to the Cambridge Co-Op where Lorraine worked to see her. They became inseparable, going out dancing and socializing with friends almost every night. Orville and Lorraine married on Sept. 21, 1946 at South Isanti Baptist Church. Their love was timeless, passing milestone after milestone, including a 50th and 60th anniversary. Orville died in 2011, and even in Lorraine's final days she longed to be with him once again. Lorraine and Orville had two daughters, Pam and Teri, in 1948 and 1949, respectively. Lorraine raised them, led their 4-H group and taught them to help out on the farm while Orville worked in the fields. In the 1960s and 1970s, Lorraine worked at the American Can Co., where she met several lifelong friends. Despite her humble upbringing, Lorraine quickly blossomed into a fantastic cook with help from Orville's mother. Her family, especially her grandchildren, always looked forward to her mashed potatoes, which included sinful amounts of cream and butter, secret-recipe corn pudding and her desserts during holidays and family gatherings. Orville, meanwhile, frowned on any restaurant food because he knew Lorraine's cooking was best. Whether it was a meal for the farmers, her family or a gather of friends, no one ever went away hungry and there were always extra meals sent home for everyone. Lorraine also helped turn their house into a picturesque example of a rural Minnesota farm home. It was the site of dozens of cozy family dinners, friendly card games and family reunions. The Minnesota Farm Bureau honored it with the Century Farm Award in 2001. Lorraine took homemaking to higher levels, too. She designed and sewed clothing for her children and grandchildren, made her own square dancing skirts and patched up clothing for Orville and other farm hands. She was among the first members of the Border Belles homemakers, which celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2003. Orville and Lorraine were very active at Fish Lake Lutheran Church. Lorraine was on the worship and music committee. The group would choose hymns to coincide with the sermon for that day, but she often thought the songs were too bland and long-winded, so she tried to sneak in better songs and clipped a few of the verses if they were too long. She also was in charge of the "cookie jar," trying her best to supply tasty treats for the congregation without spending too much. Along with her friends, Lorraine helped create the church's first outside polka service, which included a dinner and a quilt raffle. Lorraine had a delicate and attentive touch with her friends and family, making sure to send birthday and holiday cards to everyone and helping out anyone who was in need. She made holidays with her family special by cooking savory meals, decorating and maintaining lively conversations. Lorraine helped make the calls to ensure Santa Claus visited on Christmas Eve. But she would smile and tell anyone to never stopped believing in Santa Claus. She was preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Florence Soderberg, and her husband, Orville. She is survived by her daughters Pam West (North Branch) and Teri (Darrell) Wistrom (Cambridge); grandchildren Kelly West (Blackduck), David West (Isanti), Jenny (David) Tschoepe (Austin, TX), Brent Wistrom (Austin, TX) and great granddaughters Lauren West and Peyton Tschoepe, brother Skip Soderberg (Isanti), as well as other relatives and friends.