Lorraine Anderson

Lorraine Ardell Anderson was born on March 30, 1931 on a farm near Bowdon, ND. She was the eldest daughter of Harold and Florence Oien. She grew up in that rural community and graduated from Bowdon High School in 1949. Following high school, she attended Valley City College and Mayville College. In 1956, she married the love of her life, Curtis Anderson. She set her own studies aside temporarily and worked to help him complete his last year of college at Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC as well as his four year Master of Theology degree at Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, TX. She was always very proud of the “PhT” degree which she was awarded when he graduated—a “Putting Hubby Through” degree.

Upon completion of his graduate studies, the couple moved to northern Minnesota, where Curtis served as a pastor of his first church. Lorraine was by his side, teaching Sunday School, directing VBS in the summers, and faithfully praying for him and his ministry. During that time, the couple welcomed 3 children, Cindy, Sandra, and Jim. Lorraine loved being a wife, mother, and homemaker. She also resumed her studies via correspondence course, completing a rigorous Moody Bible Institute program during those busy years so that she could better teach and serve. Over the next 40+ years, Curtis and Lorraine served 4 Evangelical Free Churches throughout the Midwest, making memories and friendships in each one. In 1999, they retired to Woodstock, GA, yet they continued to serve the Lord for several more years in interim pastorates in Tennessee, Louisiana, Georgia, and North Dakota.

From the time Lorraine accepted Christ as her Savior as a young girl, she trusted and followed him with all her heart despite numerous adversities, including the sudden death of their 3 ½ yr. old daughter, Sandra, in 1966, and Curtis’s diagnosis with a debilitating and life-threatening disease when he was only in his 40’s. Lorraine’s life was characterized by faith in God and prayer. She kept a small notebook throughout her adult life, and it contained the names of hundreds of people she prayed for regularly. As one of her grandsons once noted, if Grandma said she’d pray for you, she really did it. Lorraine found comfort, guidance and hope in God’s unchanging Word, and she set aside time every single morning to study her Bible and pray. In her later years, her vision deteriorated, but she still read her Bible daily with a magnifying glass. Over the decades, she read it through cover to cover at least 38 times, and she used what she learned to teach countless numbers of Sunday School children about God’s great love. Her favorite verse was I Samuel 12:24, which reads, “Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.” Lorraine’s earthly treasures were few, but she stored up tremendous heavenly treasure by faithfully serving her Lord and Savior to the best of her ability.

Lorraine was preceded in death by her parents and in-laws; her daughter Sandra; her husband of 61 years, Curtis; her sister, Phyllis; and many extended family members. She is survived by her daughter Cindy (Richard) Barnwell, her son Jim (Julie) Anderson, three grandsons: Nick (Molly) Barnwell, Ryan Anderson, Tate Anderson; two great-grandchildren: Evelyn Barnwell & soon-to-arrive baby boy Barnwell; and a number of cousins, nephews, and extended family members. The great treasures of Lorraine’s life were her Savior, her Bible, her family, and her friends. She was greatly loved and will be greatly missed.

Lorraine’s family plans to hold a private memorial service for her at a later date.