WASHBURN, Maine – It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our mother, Lorraine (Hede) Harrison, who passed away peacefully on Nov. 24, 2017.
She was born in Woburn, MA, on April 22, 1925, to Otto Hede and Selma (Carlstrom) (Hede) Gunnerson. She was predeceased by her husband, James Ronald Harrison in 1999.
Lorraine was raised in Stockholm, ME, and attended school there until the 10th grade. She then went to her Aunt Adina’s in Cambridge, MA, where she worked for Polaroid Corporation and then the American Rubber Company making outerwear for the military during World War II. After the war she returned to Stockholm and later married Ronald and lived in Washburn for the next 66 years until her move to Country Village Estates in 2013.
A devoted wife and mother, Lorraine also worked various jobs including picking potatoes, working on the harvester, Potato Service and for Catholic Charities Homemaker Services assisting the elderly in their homes. She also did child care for a few working mothers, what we today would call home day care.
Lorraine adored dolls and had a large collection of dolls both old and new which she enjoyed creating and sewing outfits for and sharing their histories with her friends and family. Her prized doll, baby Jean, was given to her by her Aunt Adina when she was ten and is on display at the Stockholm Historical Society. She also loved to take pictures and carefully arranged her photo albums by subject matter with names and dates on the back of the pictures.
Her love of her church and her church family was also a source of joy for Lorraine and she was active in the woman’s group and teaching Sunday School along with keeping the church’s historical records.
She was also a member of the Presque Isle SAGE and the Probust Clubs.
She was the unofficial town historian, compiling many scrap books of newspaper articles and pictures about Washburn and she was a member of the Washburn Salmon Brook Museum.
Lorraine was an avid walker around town and loved to chat with people as she made her rounds. She also enjoyed travel around the country, including visiting her sister Linda and family when they were stationed in Arizona and New Mexico. From there she would take the Greyhound Bus to visit friends in California or Colorado. She also visited her brother Elmer in Alaska and Florida a number of times along with other friends and family in Florida.
Lorraine is survived by her two sons, John Harrison and his wife, Laura, of Plainville, CT, and Larry Harrison and his wife, Rinette, of Crouseville, ME; grandchildren, Brian Harrison, Cheryl Damboise, Lyndsey Lynch, Cameron (CJ) Lynch, and six great-grandchildren, as well as many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her sisters, Eleanor (John) Sodergren of Stockholm, ME, Teena Chase of Caribou, ME, Linda Callison of Stockholm, ME and her brother, Elmer Gunnerson of Connor, ME.
The family would like to thank the staff of Country Village Estates and High View Nursing Home for the excellent care they provided her.
A Celebration of her life will be held at Lidstone Memorial United Methodist Church, 4 Hines Street, Washburn, on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 11 a.m. with Rev. Ellen Cleaves officiating. Interment will be at the Northern Maine Veterans Cemetery at a later date. Following the service a gathering will be held in the church fellowship room for refreshments and continued remembrance. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Lidstone Memorial United Church, PO Box 241, Washburn, ME 04786. Memories and condolences may be shared at www.lancastermorgan.com.
