Kathryn Kay Lorance

1934 - 2025

Kathryn "Kay" Lorance
February 16, 1934 – February 11, 2025
Kathryn (Kay) Henry Lorance passed away peacefully at her home in La Crescenta, California, just days before her 91st birthday.
Kay was born on February 16, 1934, in Myrtle Point, Oregon, and spent her early years moving throughout the state as the daughter of a hardworking ranch hand. At age 15, she moved to Portland and began working as a nanny for the Spear family. It was in Portland that she met James Lorance, a young Air Force serviceman who would become the love of her life.
Following their marriage, Kay and Jim moved several times during his military service, eventually settling in Southern California to be close to the growing aerospace industry. In 1964, they purchased their home in Santa Clarita (then Saugus), where they raised their two daughters and built a life filled with purpose and community.
Kay was a dedicated and passionate volunteer. She found her calling in Girl Scouts, starting as a troop leader and rising through the ranks to serve as President of the Joshua Tree Council-Girl Scouting's highest volunteer leadership role. After her daughters had grown, Kay worked for ten years with the American Red Cross in the Santa Clarita Valley, helping local businesses establish and support blood donation programs.
Kay's commitment to service extended into her faith community at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Valencia, where she was an active member of the Altar Guild and a generous volunteer in countless ways.
She will be remembered by all who knew her as a warm, strong, and joyful presence. Kay loved the theater, travel with Jim, and time spent with treasured friends. Her legacy is one of compassion, leadership, and a life lived in service to others.
Kay is survived by her beloved sister, June Jones of Pendleton, Oregon; her daughters, Chaddie Lorance of Portland, Oregon, and Dawneen Lorance of Pasadena, California; her grandsons, Ronald Rodriguez of Pasadena, and Kaelus Lorance of Portland, along with Kaelus's wife Katie and their daughter Athena. She also leaves behind too many extended and chosen family members to name, all of whom were touched by her kindness and generosity.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, June 28, 2025 at 11:00 a.m., at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 24901 Orchard Village Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Kay's honor to the American Red Cross or the Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles.