Lorraine (Lori) Cravens

Lori was born on November 23, 1952 in Glendale, California to Manuel Joseph Chagollan and Stella Dora Lucero Chagollan as the oldest of four children.

Lori grew up in Glendale, a suburb of Los Angeles, attending Catholic schools, ending with graduation from Holy Family Girls High School. She attended Glendale College, joined sorority and also worked at the Hollywood Bowl where she loved attending the outdoor concerts there, her favorites being James Taylor and Jackson Browne. She then joined Barclays Bank, starting as a switchboard operator, then eventually becoming a loan officer and branch manager. She met David Cravens from Fort Smith, Arkansas at the Bank, who she married in April 1981, and promptly had twin daughters, Kate and Jennie, nine and a half months after they were married. Their son Sparks arrived in April 1989, all being born in Glendale.

In 1991, Lori and the family moved to Fort Smith and she threw herself into the City, which she came to love dearly. She volunteered it seemed everywhere, beginning with Sundays at the Art Center, then at Christ the King School managing after school care, where she eventually was invited to join the staff in 1995, and so Lori began her teaching career. She was Librarian, as well as Spanish and Art teacher, then Computer Lab teacher, and was awarded Wal-Mart’s Teacher of the Year. While there, she decided to go back to college, getting her Masters from Arkansas Tech. In 2005 she moved to the University of Arkansas Fort Smith, guiding high school students on preparing for careers in the Fort Smith area. In 2010, she began work at Orr Elementary as teaching assistant working with pre-school special education children, which she did until the end of the 2024 school year. She loved the children and staff there.

Lori was full of curiosity, intelligence and energy, serving on many boards and committees. Her circle of friends was tremendous, and she had a way of making each feel special. She wasn’t afraid to say what she thought, and honored other’s right to do the same. She was an avid Razorback fan, Mahjong player, art enthusiast, traveler, pickleball player, reader, Master Gardener, and the list goes on. Most of all she was a loving wife and mother. Her family, friends, and faith were precious to her and those fortunate to know her could feel that love.

Lori is survived by her husband, David Anthony Cravens, her daughters, Kate Lorraine Cravens and Jennie Micaela Cravens, her son and daughter in law, Mitchell Sparks Echols Cravens and Morgan Cravens, her four grandchildren, Daisy Lorraine Cravens, Jobe Anthony Cravens, Oliver Sparks Cravens, and Murphy Allen Cravens. She is also survived by brothers Paul Gregory Chagollan, Peter Anthony Chagollan, and sister Carmen Lydia Chagollan (James) Shaver and many brothers/sisters in law, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

Rosary and visitation begins at 5:00 November 15th at Christ the King Catholic Church. Funeral Mass will be at 11:00 November 16th at Immaculate Conception Church, with burial at Oak Cemetery following. There will be a reception at Reynolds Cancer Support House at 1:00. Services are entrusted to Edwards Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Katherine E. Cravens Endowed Scholarship at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith, to Christ the King Catholic Church, to Immaculate Conception Church, or to the Regional Art Museum.