Lorraine Mitchell Chavez

Lorraine Mitchell Chavez was born on July 18, 1951, in Arizona to Anthony Mitchell Sr and Frances Day Mitchell. Lorraine is a full-blooded Navajo (Dine) enrolled with the Colorado River Indian Tribes in Parker, Arizona.

Lorraine lived a life filled with family, creativity, and a love for adventure. She shared 54 years of marriage with her beloved husband, Alfred D. Chavez. Together, they built a family and a lifetime of memories. They shared a home in Pueblo, Colorado during the 54 years of marriage making life-time friends in her community.

Lorraine was a devoted mother to Serena Chavez-Sorrell (husband Willard Sorrell) and Anthony Chavez. She especially treasured her time with her family, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren whom she loved to travel to visit, making memories wherever she went.

She had many interests and talents. Lorraine loved playing bingo, crocheting, and expressing her artistic side through many crafts throughout her lifetime. She enjoyed dancing at powwows and celebrating the connections that brought family and community together. She combed the beaches in Crescent City, California for agates and had a huge collection. In high school she attended Phoenix Indian High School and was on the cheer team whom she kept in contact with her teammates throughout the years and considered them as sisters. She then attended Arizona State University after graduation in1969.

Lorraine dedicated 22 years and nine months of service to the Colorado Lottery, where she spent a significant part of her working life after her children were grown.

Lorraine is preceded in death by her parents, Anthony Mitchell Sr and Frances Mitchell; in-laws Alfred Chavez Sr and Irene Chavez; brother, Harley Mitchell; nephew, Shane Ludgington; brother-in-law, Leo Montoya; sisters-in-law, Juanita Duran and Louisa Verdugo.

She is survived by her siblings, Sara Honadick, Anthony Mitchell Jr and his wife Donna, Mary Mitchell, Gene Mitchell, Diane Mitchell-Wyasket and her husband Patrick, Rosanna Mitchell, her in-laws Nora Montoya, Loretta Valdez and husband Gerald Valdez, Ann Garcia and husband Jose Garcia, her grandchildren Shane Chavez with wife Kayla, Julian Markussen Jr and fiancé Ashley Bowers, Colleen Colegrove and husband Anthony, Elijah Kus-Chavez and partner Gabriella Hill, Raylee Markussen, Courtney Mosely and husband Julien, and Jordan Sorrell and husband Shay Mayhew; along with her (15) great-grandchildren, many nephews, great nephews, nieces, great nieces, and (5) God children whom she baptized. Plus, her special friends from high school whom they all stayed in contact with over 50 years which she considered her sisters.

Lorraine will be remembered for her artistic spirit, her love of family, her joy for life, and the memories she created with those fortunate enough to know and love her. Though she will be deeply missed, her love and the stories of her life will live on through the generations.