Lorraine Conrad

Lorraine Vivian Conrad of Warren died peacefully on Thursday, November 13, 2014 at St. John Hospital in Detroit. She was 89. Lorraine was born September 5, 1925 in Detroit to the late Walter J. and Bernice Wenkoski (nee Kozlowski). She was the youngest of eight children, all of whom have preceded her in death.Lorraine grew up on Spencer Street in Detroit's 7 Mile / Van Dyke "Nortown" neighborhood, where she lived until 1959. As a teenager, she worked the candy counter at the former Nortown Theater, where she met the young man she would later marry, Cass Conrad. She and Cass both attended Pershing High School, and graduated in 1943. Following their graduation, Cass immediately enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving his country for the next two years aboard the U.S.S. Raymond during WWII, where he and his shipmates earned 5 battle stars and a Presidential Unit Citation for their wartime heroics, including participation in the Battle off Samar, the central encounter in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, considered by military experts to be the greatest naval battle in history.At the conclusion of WWII, Cass returned to his hometown and married his high school sweetheart Lorraine in 1946. The following year, Lorraine gave birth to the first of their four children, George. Over the next ten years, Susan, James, and Barbara would follow, and by 1959, the family had outgrown their Detroit home and moved to the up-and-coming City of Warren, where they took occupancy of their brand new home on Geraldine Drive, literally one the first paved streets north of 12 Mile Road, in a city that was transitioning from farming to commerce and industry.Occasionally, during the course of her lengthy marriage to Cass, Lorraine took on part- time employment to assist in the financial requirements realized by all young families. But Lorraine's primary responsibility was as a caring, concerned mother, keeping her home in order, providing transportation to school and after-school activities and sporting events. It was a role that she accepted and cherished – and performed flawlessly.Always strong in their Catholic faith, Cass and Lorraine were proud to be charter members in the St. Sylvester Catholic Community, which they helped found in it's infancy in 1959. All four children received Catholic educations.For nearly 64 years, until his death in 2010, Lorraine and Cass were inseparable. They loved travelling together in the numerous motor homes they owned over the years, particularly to Cass' Navy reunions, where they were active participants for over twenty years. Later in life, after her children were grown and had families of their own, Lorraine found time to become an active Detroit Tiger and Red Wing fan, rarely missing a televised game of either team, right up to the time of her death. She also became an avid reader, reading as many as five novels a week – a pattern that also continued into her final days.And she was tough! A breast cancer survivor for well over a decade, Lorraine also endured a myriad of surgical procedures, including a total of six knee replacement surgeries late in life – a series of operations that may have proved too much for others. But she always seemed to love the challenge of recovering from each of these setbacks. And she always did recover – until in the end, when a weakened aortic valve was unable to keep pace with a heart that remained strong.Most importantly, Lorraine loved her family. She was a loving, patient and understanding wife and a great mother to her children. She was proud of her seven grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren, and loved nothing more than spending time with them.Preceded in death by her husband Cass in 2010, Lorraine was the beloved mother of George (Donna) Conrad, Susan (Richard) Romain, James (Deborah) Conrad and Barbara (Peter) Korte. She is also survived by her 7 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. A private family visitation will be held at the funeral home. A private family burial will be held at Resurrection Cemetery.Charitable donations in Lorraine's name may be made to the American Heart Association or The St. Jude Children's Research Center.Please share memories at Lorraine's guestbook.