Lorraine E. Grode

Lorraine Evelyn Grode (affectionately known as "Missy" to family and friends alike), Port Edwards, was born into eternal life on Tuesday, December 9, 2025.
A memorial service will be held on Friday December 19, 2025, at 11:00am at Trinity Lutheran Church in Port Edwards. Visitation will be held from 9:30am until the time of service. The burial will be held in the spring.
Lorraine was born in Ishpeming, Michigan on April 11, 1928, to Sylvia (Burgeson) Jenkin and Harold Jenkin. She loved life in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The self-professed "Yooper," she climbed the bluffs, enjoyed roasting potatoes in the wild and happily assisted her parents with her many younger siblings. When she was 16, the family decided to move to Bremerton, Washington so that her father could work in the shipyards during the second world war. She graduated high school a semester early so that she could work to help her family financially. Following the war, the family moved back to the Midwest in search of employment and stopped in Wisconsin Rapids to visit friends. Harold secured a job at Consolidated Papers, and Lorraine became a switchboard operator for the Wood County Telephone Company. Roots were firmly planted here.
Lorraine was introduced to the love of her life, Joseph Grode, who had recently returned to the area after military service. They were married on March 26, 1951. Lorraine worked as a front desk clerk at the Mead Inn Hotel until the birth of their children. She became a dedicated homemaker as the children grew up. She tirelessly volunteered as a Girl Scout leader, Craft Shoppe clerk, Meals on Wheels driver, food pantry organizer and church aide, performing decades in many of these roles. She was a valued caregiver for her mother for many years.
One of her favorite activities was her weekly visit to Barrett's Auction since the auction house opened in the 1960's. She continued to attend the auction until it recently closed and was fortunate to have established loving relationships with the proprietors and valued friends there. She was also a regular at the Branding Iron Supper Club for Friday night fish fries. She and Joseph used to go there on dates during their courtship when it was the Alamo. The Branding Iron staff became part of her cherished family until the Powell family recently sold the establishment.
Upon Joe's retirement in 1985, Lorraine and Joe loved going on Nationwide second honeymoon bus tours. They enjoyed numerous trips all over the country where they met caring friends and experienced wonderful adventures until Joe's death in 2007.
Lorraine was greatly loved and will be deeply missed by her children and grandchildren: Terry (Eric) Christie of Kewaskum and their daughters Erica (Isaac) Dorsch of Madison and LoraJo (Timothy) Schneider of Kewaskum; and Jo Ann Grode and Jay Grode of Wisconsin Rapids. She is also survived by her beloved great-grandchildren: James, Elizabeth and Evelyn Dorsch and Micah, Aria, Olivia and Maxwell Schneider. Missy also leaves behind her sister-in-law, Lois Jenkin, and brother-in-law, John Harper, both of Wisconsin Rapids, and many other special friends, with special thanks to Christine Zurfluh and Karen Bertolini. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
Lorraine was predeceased by her beloved husband, Joseph Grode, her parents Sylvia and Harold Jenkin, her siblings Elizabeth Jenkin, Muriel (Bob) Derrie, Jack Jenkin, Joseph Jenkin, Christine Harper, Judy (Tom) Pickett, Sue (Carl) Seidel and Robert Jenkin.