Lorraine Larson age 88 of New Ulm, formerly of Redwood Falls and Clements, passed away Wednesday, August 22, 2012 at Oak Hills Living Center in New Ulm.

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, August 27 at Sundown Lutheran Church, rural Springfield.

Visitation will be 4:00-7:00 p.m. Sunday at the Redwood Valley Funeral Home, and will continue one hour prior to the service at church on Monday.  Interment is in the church cemetery.  There will be a Celebration of Lorraine’s life continuing after the service at 3:00 p.m. Monday at Farmer’s Golf and Health Club in Sanborn.  Stephens Funeral Service – Redwood Valley Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Lorraine Selma Larson was born January 22, 1924 in Marshall, Minnesota to William and Edna (Kremin) Gilb.  She was baptized and confirmed in the German Lutheran Church in Milroy.  She attended country school, and Milroy High School.  Lorraine was united in marriage to John Clair Larson on August 18, 1947.  They lived in Staples, Minnesota until January of 1949 when they moved to their farm near Clements.  Lorraine was a member of Sundown Lutheran Church and for many years served as a Sunday School teacher for the 3-4 year olds.  Lorraine’s favorite song was Frank Sinatra’s “I Did It My Way,” and that is what she tried to do throughout her life.  She was a very classy, lovely lady, always “dressed to the nines”, as they say.  Lorraine enjoyed watching old movies, especially “An Affair To Remember,” and she watched any and all sporting events.  Lorraine loved life, loved her family, loved her friends.  She was a very proud person, head held high through it all.  She especially loved her times at Paine Lake.  It was a five-hour drive from her home to “the lake,” and she did it all on her own many times, even at age eighty.  Many of the family pictures are from the lake cabin where all gathered several times during the summer and winter.  As you all also know, she was a talker.  Visiting was her favorite pastime.  She always had many stories to tell, stories from all the old days growing up in rural Marshall, dances at the Blue Moon, and even a trip to New York for a wedding with a stop to see the Frank Sinatra concert when she was a teenager.  Yes, she was one of those screaming gals at that first New York concert of Frankie’s.  Amazing stories.  She lived through the Depression, when she and her older brother farmed all the land, another brother in the service, and a father sick with cancer in Rochester.  And we wonder how she could be so tough?  Lorraine told many people that she didn’t want blubbering at her funeral, she wanted us all to celebrate, have a party.  She said she lived an amazing life, a life filled with fun times she shared with family and friends.  She said to make sure to thank all who made her life so special.  THANK YOU, from Lorraine.  The party she wanted will be at the Farmer’s Golf and Health Club, Sanborn, following the funeral service.  All are invited to share in her celebration of life.
Lorraine is survived by her children: Laurie (Thomas) Fox of New Ulm, Jack Larson of Clements; grandchildren: Gena (Ben) Fox Applebaum of St. Louis Park, MN, Carlee (Pat) Fox Donohue of San Francisco, CA, Jeanne (Kevin) Larson Krigbaum of Brooklyn Park, MN, Anne (Scott) Larson Mygind of Chicago, IL, Johnny Larson of Springfield, MN; great-grandchild Henry Applebaum.  She is preceded in death by her parents, husband John, four brothers: Marvin, Gordon, Merlin “Butch,” and Kenneth “Doc” Gilb, and several sisters- and brothers-in-law.