Lorraine Edna Van Keulen, age 80, of New Ulm, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at The Gathering, a hospice in Stillwater, MN.
A gathering of family and friends will be held from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March, 20, at Minnesota Valley Funeral Home in New Ulm, followed by a funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m. at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Burial will be in the New Ulm Catholic Cemetery. To sign the guest book or to leave an online condolence for the family go to www.mvfh.org.
Lorraine was born the daughter of Ernest and Marie (Jesme) Ouverson on May 2, 1929. She was the 10th of 14 children that grew up on a farm near Canby, MN. She graduated from Canby High School. Lorraine was united in marriage to Harold Van Keulen on February 18, 1954 in Canby. The couple farmed for a short time near Ghent, then spent time in Luverne and Hanska before moving to New Ulm in 1962.
Lorraine’s life was focused on her love of family and work. She was employed at the Twin City Arsenal during the Korean War, then at 3M New Ulm for 33 years, at the Bonanza Restaurant, and in the New Ulm High School lunch room. She particularly enjoyed working at Bonanza which gave her the opportunity to regularly speak with many friends from the surrounding area. Her unconditional love for immediate and extended family was evident to all.
She will remain forever in the hearts of her sons, Ralph and his wife Kathleen (Eyrich) Van Keulen of Hudson, Jeffrey and his wife Leslie (Dietrich) Van Keulen of Maple Grove, and Brian and his wife Tracie (Kronberg) Van Keulen of Rosemount; grandchildren, Jillian, Lance, Jennifer, Jessica and Sophia Van Keulen; sisters, Bernice and husband Richard Swedzinski of Champlin, Margaret Molnau of Red Wing; Mavis and husband Tom Garrett of Little Canada, and Nina and husband Kenneth Benz of Canby; brother Eldon and wife Adrienne Ouverson of Pine City; sisters and brothers-in-law, Marie Rose and Edward Boerboom, Lorraine and David Maertens, Richard and Jean Van Keulen, all of Ghent, MN, Janet Van Keulen of Stillwater, Edward and Rose Van Keulen of Waconia, Lois Van Keulen of Champlin, Leon Van de Veire of Canby, Lola Ouverson of Chippewa Falls; and 80 nieces and nephews.
Lorraine was preceded in death by her husband, Harold in 1981, her parents, four brothers, Lee (Zona), Raymond, Howard (Genevieve) and Clarence (Edith) Ouverson; and four sisters, Mildred (Roy) Johnson, Francis (Cletus) Hoffman, Margery Van de Veire, and Corrine Hormann-Charles.
In memory of Lorraine, memorials are preferred to an educational institution of your choice, The Gathering hospice in Stillwater, or the American Cancer Society
