Lorraine Martin

Lorraine E Martin passed away peacefully at Emmanuel House Hospice, Hamilton, on November 1, 2015 at the age of 70 after a too brief struggle with lung cancer. Beloved wife of Gordon Morton, wonderful mother to Sarah and Ben (Lisa) loving stepmother to Forbes (Dori), Gillian, Patrick (Rosalind) and Noel (Maya). Lorraine was adored by her six grandchildren Sam, Jack, Charlie, Cole, Elliott and Finn as well as her 6 step grandchildren, Theo, Isabel, Willa, Oscar, Beatrix, and Coco. Lorraine held a Psychology Major and a Master of Social Work. She will be remembered for her contributions to family mediation and to developing the custody/access clinical program for the province as Clinical Coordinator at the Office of the Children’s Lawyer for 17 years. Upon her retirement in 2010 she was credited with its success. Her early career included child and adult psychiatry and school board social work for special children in Saskatchewan from 1968 to 1971. She taught life skills to aboriginal women and youth in northern Manitoba from 1971 to 1974. From 1974 to 1992 she worked in Winnipeg holding positions at family services and starting her management career at a Winnipeg hospital overseeing pediatric and neonatal units. She was an early pioneer in the field of services to divorcing families and was one of the first in Canada to become a trained Family Mediator. She went on to become Director of Family Conciliation for Manitoba. She came to Ontario in 1990 to become the Manager of Family Mediation Pilot Program at the Unified Family Court in Hamilton. When this major research project ended she then became the Clinical Coordinator at the Office of the Official Guardian which later became the Office of the Children’s Lawyer. In 2010 Lorraine retired from this office and that same year she received the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Presidents Award for many years of highly respected service. A celebration of Lorraine’s life will be held on Saturday, November 7 in the form of an open house between the hours of 1 PM to 4 PM with a brief memorial service at 2:30 PM at 86 Ferrie St. W., Hamilton Ontario. In lieu of flowers Memorial donations can be made to the Lorraine Martin Scholarship at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 2456 Bloor St. W., Toronto ON M5S 1V4 (416-978-4437). Online condolence may be made at www.thorpebrothersfh.com.