Lorraine F. (Stoudt) Gayan

Lorraine Frances (Stoudt) Gayan, 85, of Ottawa passed away Friday, January 15th at her home. Ottawa Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.

Mass of Christian burial will be at 11:00am Thursday, January 21st, at St. Patrick’s Church with Rev. David Kipfer officiating. Visitation for family and friends will be from 9:30am to 11am at St. Patrick’s Church. Private burial ceremony to follow at Calvary Cemetery. Due to COVID restrictions, we will have a celebration of life in early September in honor of her birthday.

Lorraine was born September 3, 1935 in Ottawa to Lawrence J. “Dick” and Frances (Siolz) Stoudt.  She was a proud graduate of Marquette Academy, class of 1953, where she met Jack “Jake” Gayan.  They married upon his return from the U.S. Army on February 11, 1956 at St. Francis Church.  He preceded her in death on April 26, 2011.

Lorraine was a working mom, employed in the office at Libbey Owens-Ford from which she retired after 30 years.  The importance of family, friends, and faith were visible in the way she lived her life.  She worked to encourage her four children, grandchildren and great grandchildren often showing them the value of hard work and deep friendships.  For decades, she could be found on Saturday mornings eating potica with her “coffee club” or in the kitchen of the Knights of Columbus helping at “chicken & spaghetti” dinners for her favorite causes, Marquette and St. Patrick’s Church. She enjoyed spending time at senior swim at the YMCA with her husband, sisters, and brother Shiek.  Lorraine never met a stranger, and she had a smile and hello for everyone she saw.

She is survived by her four children, Joan (Danny) Bretag and Randy (Jodie) Gayan of Ottawa; Brian (Eileen) Gayan of IN, and Dan (Tuesday) Gayan of TX; eight grandchildren, Michelle (Steve) Christensen, Janet (Aaron) Forinash, Jodi Gayan, Jami Gayan, Scott (Angie) Bretag, Leslie (Kristen) Fox, Maxx Gayan and Austin Gayan; ten great-grandchildren, Isabella and Quinn Christensen, Dylan and Drew Forinash, Keith Gayan, Olivia Sanders, Joey, Jax and Jessa Puetz, and Brooks Bretag; one sister, Margaret Donnelly; one brother-in-law, Robert Gayan and many loving nieces, nephews and close friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her sister, Virginia Johnson; and two brothers, LJ Stoudt and J. Richard “Shiek” Stoudt; sisters-in-law, Doris Hiles, Mary Jane Sims, Judy Claudnic; brothers-in-law, Milford Johnson, Roy Hiles and Donald Donnelly.

Pallbearers will be Scott Bretag, Maxx Gayan, Austin Gayan, Keith Gayan, Brent Gayan, Rick Stoudt and Dean Donnelly.

Honorary pallbearers are her godson, Leo Johnson and her first nephew, Larry Johnson.

Memorials may be directed to her family for memorial in Lorraine’s memory.

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