Lorraine Rainville Laprade, age 95, of Easthampton, MA formerly of Holyoke, Ma, died June 15, 2024 after a long battle with Alzheimers. Despite the illness, she remained her spunky, strong spirited self, until her passing.
Lorraine was born in Holyoke, MA on November 2, 1928, the daughter of Eugene and Blanche (Labonte) Rainville. Lorraine was educated in Holyoke schools and graduated from Our Lady of Perpetual Help in 1945. She attended Holyoke High in 1946 and 1947 and earned her GED from the Commonwealth of MA Department of Education at Holyoke Community College in December 1980. In May of 1982, she completed a Word/Information Processing course which helped her immensely with her computer usage later in life.
On September 20, 1947, Lorrane married Roland G. Laprade at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Holyoke, MA. She worked at the Pro Brush Company in Florence, MA for many years and finished her working years at the Commonwealth Felt Co. in Northampton, MA. She retired in 1987 due to illness.
Lorraine lived in Easthampton on East Street until she went into assisted living in 2020. Lorraine was a member of the Notre Dame church and later a communicant of Our Lady of the Valley Church in Easthampton.
Lorraine was a loving wife and took care of Roland, her husband, until he had to move to the Soldiers Home in 2013. She always put the concerns of others before her own. After Roland’s passing, she continued to visit her husband’s roommate at the home until the pandemic. Her life was her family, and she always went above and beyond whenever she was needed. She loved animals and babies immensely, family reunions, square dancing, reading, knitting, gardening, sewing, working on her computer and she especially loved listening to country and western music.
Lorraine’s husband of 66 years, Roland, died in 2013. She is survived by one son, Edward Laprade and his wife Cheryl of West Suffield, CT. Two daughters, Linda Ball and her husband Robert of Elk Grove, CA and Christine Bowen and her partner John Matus of Laguna Beach, CA. Three grandchildren, David Evans and his wife Kinga of Plano, TX., Kristi Gendron and her husband Brian of Belchertown, MA, and Karah Haddock and her husband Matt of West Suffield, CT. She leaves behind six great grandchildren: Dylan and Mia Evans, Madelaine and Maverick Gendron, and Chase and Connor Haddock. Lorraine was predeceased by her son Michael Roland Laprade in 1954, and her three brothers, John Rainville, Holyoke, MA, Donald Rainville, Brooksville, FL, George Rainville, Springfield, MA, and her two sisters, Claire Rainville, Marlboro, MA, and Pauline Ripa, Punta Gorda, Fl. Lorraine leaves several in-laws and many nieces and nephews and dear friends. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.
Lorraine’s Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday June 20 meeting at Our Lady of the Valley Church, 33 Adams Street, Easthampton for 11AM. Burial will follow in St Brigid’s Cemetery in Easthampton. Boucher - O’Brien funeral home, 7 Pleasant St. Easthampton, is entrusted with the arrangements. There will be no calling hours at Lorraine’s request.
In lieu of flowers, gifts in Lorraine’s memory may be made to the VNA & Hospice of Cooley Dickinson, PO Box 329, Northampton, MA 01061-9935 or to the Easthampton Ambulance Fund Care of the Fire Department, Payson Ave, Easthampton, MA 01027 or Alzheimer’s Association.