Lorna Durand

      Lorna Durand was a natural leader whose winning presence allowed her to take control of various situations with ease. Equipped with a clear and calculating focus, she possessed a tough-minded, “take charge” attitude. She had the ability to make even routine situations seem exciting, and she was at ease with the role of playing problem solver. Lorna always sought out the scene of where the action was. Sociable, analytical and pleasant, Lorna was an individual who enjoyed life’s challenges.

      Lorna was born on December 18, 1943 at Municipal Hospital in High River, Alberta. Her parents were Eveline Crawford and Guy Lorne Mulrooney. Lorna was raised in Raymond, Alberta. Always able to express herself well, Lorna possessed strong interpersonal skills. She was optimistic in her outlook on life and was able at all times to be open and direct in her communication. Armed with a great wit, Lorna was raised to be accepting of others and to implement a strong personal work ethic.

      Blessed with a balanced attitude, Lorna was able to relate well with others. Her occasional role as family mediator gave her the opportunity to ease tense situations when they occurred. Lorna was raised with six brothers and 7 sisters. Her siblings were Glenn, Ray, Danny, Tim, Sharon, Patsy, Carol, Tammy, Pam and Denise. Lorna had a strong desire to be treated fairly and would readily offer others the same fairness in return.

      As a young child, Lorna showed her creative ability in many ways. She was outgoing and animated. Lorna enjoyed new activities and pursued a variety of interests. In her spare time she liked riding horses, sewing and cooking. Lorna's memorable achievements included winning first place in Grade 4 for a poetry contest.

      Known to others as a focused, logical, open-minded and somewhat driven individual, Lorna was able to utilize these qualities to succeed in high school. Her curious nature was spurred by her ability to maximize her personal learning style through employing a hands-on approach. She was good with facts and had an excellent memory. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was English. The teacher she enjoyed learning from the most was Mr. Hicky. She enjoyed scaring him.

      Friends and acquaintances found Lorna an easy woman to get to know, and those close to her would often praise her open, practical style of communication and relaxed approach to life in general. Lorna was uncomplicated and straightforward in her relationships, which allowed her to accept people for what they were. While growing up, some of her best friends were Lorena. Later in life, she became friends with many wonderful people.

      On November 16, 1970 Lorna exchanged wedding vows with Real Henry Durand at the in a friend's home of Edmonton, Alberta. Lorna was attentive to Real's feelings, and she charmed Real and others with her gift for being able to give freely and generously. A good listener with an engaging personality, Lorna was able to bring pleasure and unexpected humor to the relationship.

      Very much like a kid herself, Lorna identified with the inquisitive and creative side of her children’s personalities. She was able to direct her energy and spontaneity towards helping her children acquire added common sense skills. Lorna was blessed with one son, and three daughters as well as one daughter who predeceased her, one son, Darcy and three daughters, Darlene, Denise and Sheri. They were also blessed with twelve grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren, Shawn, David, Adam, Matthew, Gabe, Amanda, Jennifer, Nicole, Emily Anne, Sara, Courtney, and Ava.

      Lorna was a flexible worker who was able to draw the best from others around her. A persuasive individual who was quick to make necessary decisions, Lorna’s strengths included being able to think on her feet. She could be a leader who sought impact for her decisions. Gifted with an incredible ability to read body language, Lorna was able to positively manipulate situations and motivate others in order to get a task completed. She was a good negotiator who enjoyed new challenges. Lorna could multi-task, and she was endowed with entrepreneurial spirit, allowing her to think beyond standard norms when it came to resolving issues in her work environment. Her primary occupation was transit driver. She was employed for Edmonton Transit Service for 5.5 years.

      Lorna enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. She had something of an artistic flair in many of the things that she did. She put this creativity toward all of her pastimes. Her favorite pursuits were sewing, cooking and raising Morgan horses. She was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

      Lorna was a gifted problem solver who worked hard to help accomplish group goals. This skill made her a wonderful asset to the various groups and organizations to which she belonged. Always matter-of-fact about what needed to be done, Lorna worked steadily to meet any organization’s goals. Throughout her later years, Lorna was an active member of the Josephburg Gymkhana Club.

      Lorna’s natural leadership qualities placed her in consideration for public recognition, earning her accolades for her many and varied efforts throughout her life. Some of her most prestigious awards included winning first place sewing an Eskimo Parka.

      Travel and vacations were experiences that Lorna truly enjoyed. She preferred to seek out excitement wherever she went and she was partial to vacations that were casual and laid back with an atmosphere of “live and let live.” She was willing to leave her plans open and flexible, just in case something more interesting came along. Favorite vacations included Louisiana, USA.

      Lorna was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. One of Lorna’s favorites was Sin, a Morgan Stallion and Pepper, an African Grey Parrot. They were best friends for Lorna had Sin for 20 years and she left Pepper after 18 months. Her family was rounded out by her four dogs, four cats, and three parrots.

      When Lorna’s retirement finally came in 2005, she was well prepared. She used logical analysis of her retirement options in order to ensure her retirement would be fulfilling. Still, she was able to easily adapt to possible changes and enjoyed just having fun and being relaxed. Her new life involved relocating to Star, Alberta.

      Lorna passed away on August 4, 2016 at Mazankowski Heart Institute in Edmonton, Alberta. Lorna fought to return to her family, but was overcome by infection complications from heart surgery. She is survived by her husband, Real, her children, Denise, Sheri, Darlene, Darcy, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Services were held at First Memorial Riverview Chapel in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. Lorna was laid to rest in the beauty of her home on the farm.

      Lorna was the kind of person who could win others over easily. A concrete communicator, she relied on her senses to increase her involvement and awareness of others. She was always able to provide amusing repartee to her friends and acquaintances, offering a seemingly endless supply of quips, anecdotes, jokes and stories. If Lorna had a theme song written about her, it might well have been “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” She enjoyed her life and the experience of living it. This is how everyone will remember Lorna Durand.

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Lorna Durand

December 18, 1943 ~ August 4, 2016

Mrs. Lorna Durand, late of Star, AB, formerly of Fort Saskatchewan, AB, passed away on Thursday, August 4, 2016 at the age of 72 years. She is survived by her loving family, husband of 49 years, Real Henry Durand; 4 children, Denise (George) Hofer of Star, Sheri (Darryl) Anderson of Fort Saskatchewan, Darlene (Claude) Durand of Calgary, and Darcy Jenkins of Edmonton; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; 4 brothers and 6 sisters as well as many other family and dear friends. Lorna is predeceased by her mother and father; 1 brother; and 1 daughter.

A Service of Remembrance will be held on Thursday, August 11, 2016 at 2:00 pm at First Memorial Riverview Chapel in Fort Saskatchewan with Yvonne Racine officiating. Donations in Lorna’s memory gratefully accepted directly to the Alberta Diabetes Foundation, 1-020 HRIF-East, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 9Z9 or to your local SPCA. Online condolences may be sent through www.riverviewfuneral.com.

Arrangements under the direction of First Memorial Funeral Services - Riverview Chapel, Fort Saskatchewan, AB 780-998-9898.