Lorraine Kathryn Merchant

Lorraine Kathryn Merchant passed away on July 11, 2004. She was born March 18, 1922, in Glendive, Montana. After graduating from Dawson County High School, she attended a year of nurse's training and then married Albert Merchant, her husband for 45 years. Because of his job, they lived in many different places in the United States, and even spent several years in the Philippines. They retired to Spokane to the family home. A few years after Al passed away in 1988, Lorraine moved to the Firs Retirement Apartments in Olympia, to be near family. She really enjoyed her time at the Firs with new friendships and activities, and more opportunities to spend time with her family.Lorraine worked at different times in hospitals where they were living, first as a nurse's aide and later as a ward clerk and medical secretary. She never lost her love of helping people and had a special gift for making the burden of illness lighter. She, in turn, was blessed with caring nurses who helped her through her last weeks and days.She leaves behind 3 children, Carol Tag, and husband, Roger, Robert Merchant, and wife, JoAnn, and Deborah Cramer; 7 grandchildren, Aaron Tag, and wife, Leah, Alan Tag, and wife, Alissa, Rebecca Siegel, and husband, Dusty, Bobby Merchant, Christie Mesker, Melissa Mesker, and Sean Cramer; 2 great-grandchildren, Joshua Siegel and Sydney Tag; 2 sisters, Alice Kampschror and Shirley Blaskowsky; 1 brother, Raymond Buck; and many very special nieces and nephews. She also leaves 2 sisters-in-law who live in this area, Edith Lawrence and Marie Rolstad.We will all miss Lorraine, the happy times we spent with her, her funny stories, her wonderful sense of humor, and her gentle, loving ways. A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 15, 2004, at Woodlawn Tribute Center. Interment will be at Fairmount Cemetery in Spokane, Wash. Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the National Osteoporosis Foundation or the Lutheran Hour Ministries.