Lorraine Kuchenski

Lorraine Kuchenski, 86, formerly of Dickinson, passed away Aug. 8, 2018, at Windemere at Westover Hills, San Antonio, Texas. Funeral mass will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Mandan, with The Rev. Jarad Wolf celebrating. Burial will take place at North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan, immediately following the church service. A light dinner will follow at 4 p.m. CDT, at Eagles Club, Mandan. Visitation for family and friends will be held from 12 to 1:30 p.m., at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, prior to the funeral mass.

Lorraine (Friesz) Kuchenski was born on Dec. 2, 1931, on a farm 17 miles north of New Leipzig. She lived there until the age of 16, moving to Dickinson in 1948. She married Peter Kuchenski on Jan. 5, 1949, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Dickinson. Pete and Lorraine were blessed with five children. In 1965, they built their home at 25 Kuchenski Drive and lived there for 16 years. Lorraine helped her husband with many businesses. They built cabins and seven homes. They operated the Spur Bar for 20 years and owned a car wash and beauty shop for four years. Lorraine and Pete also built the Family Steak and Cake and operated it for six years. They moved to Rogers, Ark., in 1981. While there, they owned a TV shop for five years. In 1986, Pete and Lorraine moved to Seattle, and Lorraine went to work for the forest service. In 1992, they returned to Dickinson and moved back into their home on 25 Kuchenski Dr. After Pete passed away in 2009, Lorraine decided to sell her home and move to Greeley, Colo., until 2013. Lorraine was an active leader with the Blue Birds, Campfire Girls, Cub Scouts and Catholic Daughters. She served as President of the Eagles Auxiliary in 1957-58 and was a member of the ladies auxiliary Fraternal Order of Eagles in Dickinson.

Lorraine loved flowers, working in her garden and yard, and feeding and watching birds in their backyard. She was an avid collector with a large collection of dolls, birds and the Heritage Village New England Series.

Lorraine loved her family above all. She was also loved beyond measure by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Lorraine is survived by her son, Peter (Susan) Kuchenski Jr., Wichita Falls, Texas; daughters, Debbie (Lynn) Kern, Lake Tapps, Wash., Jackie Gund (Tim McMahon), Tenino, Wash., Delraine (Ken) Ferguson, San Antonio, and Jill (Dennis) Miller, Greenbrier, Tenn.; 14 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; brother, Clifford (Marlys) Friesz, Mandan; sisters, Leah Jeromchek, Mandan, Betty Clause, Billings, Mont., Edna Stevenson, Birmingham, Ala., and Cherry Honrath, Mandan; sister-in-law, Jerrie Thompson; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 2009, Peter; father, Edward Friesz; mother, Anna Wagner Friesz; step-mother, Lillian Pastian Friesz; brothers, Eugene Friesz, and Bennie Friesz; and sister, Gladys Wutzke.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made in Lorraine's name to the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery.

Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at www.stevensonfuneralhome.com. (Stevenson Funeral Home and Crematory, Dickinson)