Lorraine G. Coppinger

Lorraine Gongla Coppinger, 62, died on Monday, April 18, 2011. Born and raised in Jersey City, Lorraine graduated from Saint Peter's College where she met her husband, Walter. They moved to Los Angeles, where she worked at a local bank while he completed his doctorate at UCLA. While in Los Angeles, they welcomed their first child, Cathleen, into the world. After they moved to Fairfield, Ohio and while she attended the University of Cincinnati Law School, their second daughter Erin arrived. Lorraine persisted with her education, soon earning her Juris Doctorate. She passed the bar while working for a local law firm, and then worked as an attorney for the LexisNexis Corporation in Dayton, Ohio for the rest of her career. After retiring, she and Walter moved to the Seattle area to fulfill her wish to be near her young grandchildren.

Lorraine loved best being with her family -- feeding them, participating in their activities, and guiding them with a sure hand. All through the years, she worked tirelessly to provide a loving home. When she was stricken with cancer 22 months ago, she pursued treatment aggressively because she so wanted to see and help her family thrive for many more years. Never complaining, she did all she could, and had hoped so much to celebrate her 40th anniversary in June.

Lorraine is the beloved wife of Walter J. Coppinger; the cherished mother of Cathleen Pursifull (Alex) and Erin Coppinger; the devoted daughter of Genevieve A. (Jablonski) Gongla and the late Charles J. Gongla; the treasured sister of Joanne Lukasavage, Patricia Gongla, and the late Carol Gongla; the adored aunt of Thomas and Christopher Wales and numerous nieces and nephews by marriage; and the loving grandmother of Justin and Kayla Pursifull.