Lorraine Gionson

Lorraine Dike was born and raised in Orlando, Florida by Henry W. Dike and Pauline (Tuck) Dike. She was an only child, as her older brother, Tommy, had died at the age of two. As a little girl, she loved drawing, playing her guitar and playing with her kittens and dolls, poking about in the flower garden, and taking in the lovely fragrance of her mother's hydrangeas. As a teen, Lorraine enjoyed riding her quarter horse, Rex, through the orange groves, lakes, and woodlands of Florida. Her love for horses, animals, nature, and plants has never waned.

She married Claudio Gionson in 1963 and they drove across the U.S. to California before flying to Hawaii to live. They had four children. Lorraine was a kind, gentle, loving mother. Generous with hugs and kisses, she read stories to her children, and tucked them into bed nice and snug with a "night-night". She was also an excellent cook. A wonderful gardener, she created a magical fairytale-like environment in their yard for the children, which included exotic plants, flowers, and fruit trees. Later, she added a few kittens and a puppy.

Claudio passed away in 2021, and she went under the care of her daughter Rene' in Las Vegas, NV. As her health began to fade, she found comfort in her favorite TV shows like Swamp People, Naked and Afraid, Ancient Aliens, Destination Unknown and The Unexplained (hosted by her TV boyfriend William Shatner). She continued to be positive in the face of so much adversity and had a good sense of humor. She firmly believed there was something more beyond this life and was not afraid to embark on her next adventure beyond the veil. Incredibly, she never complained, even though her body gave her good cause. Like her favorite animal, the horse, she was both beautiful and strong.

Per her request, she will be buried with her parents and other family members in Florida, amid the whisper of the wind, beneath the dappled sunlight of the tall oak trees, and Spanish moss.

She is survived by her daughters Vanessa (m. John Poper), Rene' (m. Benjamin Bennett), Kristine (Steve Reynolds), and son Shawn, her six grandchildren: Faith (m. Eric Koch), Cassandra, Jessica, Joseph, Benjamin (m. Rebecca McCartney), and Awen, and eight great-grandchildren: Basil, Rylan, Gemma, Sariah, Ayden, Jacob, Jewel and Alora.