Lorraine Ferguson Cates
Lorraine Ferguson Cates
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Lorraine Cates Obituary
Graham- Lorraine Ferguson Cates, 76, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, September 2, 2025 at UNC Hospital. She was born in Alamance County to the late Troy Lester and Dorothy Elizabeth Glosson Ferguson. She was the wife of the late Lawrence Eugene Cates, Sr who died in 2017.
Lorraine retired after 40 years as an operator for Southern Bell/AT&T. She was a 1967 graduate of Southern High School and a graduate of Burlington Business College. She was a lifetime member of Concord United Methodist Church where she taught Sunday School, helped with VBS and meal preparations for church gatherings. Lorraine enjoyed the outdoors, mowing her yard and tending to her flowers. She was an avid reader and volunteered with Westside Project Thrift Store. Lorraine often attended and helped out at Freedom Fellowship Church where her son pastored. Her life was devoted to her family especially her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
She is survived by her daughter, Alisa Cates Lankhamdaeng of Graham and her son, Lawrence Eugene “Gene” Cates, Jr. and wife, Julie of Graham; grandchildren, Brandon Lankhamdaeng, Brittany Lankhamdaeng, Zachary Cates, Melody (Nolan) Soderlund, Phillip Cates and Jennifer (Bill) Davis; great grandchildren, Maverick Soderlund, Terri Cates, Cameron Edwards, Josslyn Cates, Phillip Cates, Jr., Amelia McCann, Abigail Davis and Billy Davis; her brother, Harry Ferguson and special friend, Cheryl Parrish of Graham. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and sister, Jean Salyers.
A service to celebrate her life will be held at 3:00 PM Sunday, September 7, 2025 at Concord United Methodist Church by Rev. Trevor Warren and Pastor Gene Cates. The family will receive friends from 4-6pm on Saturday, September 6, 2025 at Lowe Funeral Home & Crematory. The burial will follow the service in the church cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Concord UMC, 4462 E. Greensboro Chapel Hill Road, Graham, NC 27253 or Freedom Fellowship Church, 522 Trollinger Street, Burlington, NC 27215.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
2205 South Church Street, Burlington, NC 27215
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