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Lorraine Victoria VanDorpe

  Every day may not be good, but there’s something good in every day … words to live by …

  Lorraine Victoria VanDorpe, 82, passed away Feb. 18, 2013. Lorraine was born in Moline, Ill., on Aug. 25, 1930. She was born the daughter of Belgium immigrants, Frank and Anna VanBunnen. Lorraine lived in Moline as a young girl, working in a licorice factory. She later met her husband, Maurice VanDorpe, and they moved to in Kewanee, Ill., in 1957. Lorraine spent time in Kewanee, working in a glove factory and in later years was a beloved childcare giver for local families.

  A few years following Maurice’s death in October of 2001, Lorraine moved to Sonoma to be closer to her daughter, Karen Marco Dodge and her family. Karen and Lorraine had a great adventure traveling across the country to her new home visiting places she had never seen and loving every minute of it – just as she did with everything in life.

  Lorraine moved into FAHA Manor and immediately fell in love with Sonoma and everyone she met along her travels. She made a very tight knit set of close friends at FAHA (Evelyn, Mary Jane, Julia, Tommy, and many more – past and present). Lorraine enjoyed Wednesday night bingo, chatting with her friends in the lobby while waiting for the mail on a daily basis, tea parties and her ever-favorite Halloween costume parties, in which she won the title for best costume more than once. Her infectious giggle made those around her realize that you could always find a positive outlook in the littlest things in life. She was a vibrant, caring and pragmatic soul with so much to give and too little time. Lorraine, for those reasons and many more, will remain forever in our hearts. Her family meant the world to her and she was “tickled to death” to hear every last detail of your day.

  She had a four-legged orange feline partner named Sandy, who misses her dearly. They spent many an afternoon snuggled together watching “The Three Stooges” or her favorite ice skating competitions, and loved NCIS’s Mark Harmon! Her caregiver, Ana Smart, took her to the Dollar Store and many fun lunches at Mary’s Pizza Shack where she was also known as “Mother Lorraine” on the delivery tags and enjoyed visiting with the driver. She had never seen an ocean and enjoyed the coastal scenery and having special birthday lunches in Bodega Bay. Lorraine was young at heart and enjoyed life to the fullest. One of her fondest moments was to swoon over Rick Springfield at a concert in her late 70s; her sense of humor and never ending love of life was one in which we all should strive to attain.

  She leaves behind her loving daughter and friend, Karen; and son-in-law, Bruce Dodge, who would bring her favorite green tomatoes from his garden; her grandson, Vaughn Dodge II, who she was very proud of and drove her around every year to see all the Christmas lights; Delisa Dodge, who she considered the dearest granddaughter; along with great-grandson, Zachary Yankee, who she adored. Also, Carey Dodge, and great-grandchildren, Jonathan and Jordan Dodge; and her favorite 96-year-old partner-in-crime, Vaughn Dodge Sr. Besides cousins, nieces, nephews, she will be missed by her dear friends, Charlie, Diane, Linda, Bryan and Peggy, all back in Illinois.

  Her family will be having a private memorial. A celebration of her life will be announced later, with her favorite past time … bingo and, once again, she will be the winner in everyone’s heart. We will miss her and appreciate every day she taught us to be thankful.

  In lieu of donations keep your pennies for a rainy day … you’ll never know when the next bingo day will come along.