Lorraine-Anne Doris Marie Delorme

Lorraine-Anne Doris Marie Delorme (Russell, Van der Rassel), called simply Lorraine or Lulu, age 66, of Winnipeg, died at the Grace Hospital on Monday Sept 2, 2024, of natural causes due to heart and lung challenges.  

Lorraine was born on August 6, 1958, at the St. Boniface Hospital, in the city of St. Boniface, fourth child to her parents Fred & Toni Delorme.  Fred (Alfred Doris Delorme, 1928-1992) of Fisher Branch, MB, and Toni (Antoinette Rose Marie (née Ducharme) Delorme, 1932-2002) of Ste. Rose du Lac, MB welcomed Kipper (Raymond Delorme), Brenda (Brenda Benoit), Georgette (Georgette Beauchamp) before Lorraine, and after Lorraine, Suzie (Susan Delorme) and Freddie (Frederick Delorme).  

Lorraine’s first home was on River Ave, but then she mostly grew up in Point Douglas in Winnipeg; living on Disraeli St. (before the Freeway was built!), 99 Euclid Ave. (in Barber House before it was a historic home), 62 Prince Edward St. and 23-80 Charles Walk (when the Lord Selkirk Developments were brand new!). She attended Norquay, Aberdeen (before it was Niji Mahkwa) and RB Russell schools (she tells us she attended St. John’s for 1 day before she left!). While in high school she also attended a Red River College extension program at Argyle School. As a teen, Lorraine worked at Angelo’s Chip Shop on Main St., G3 (a clothing recycling factory) with her mom Toni, as well as Country Kitchen on Main St. and Mayfair Ave.   

While in high school, Lorraine’s good friend Patty introduced her to her brother Dennis Sutherland who would become Shirley’s biological father. Shirley Marie Antoinette Delorme was born at St. Boniface Hospital just after Lorraine’s 18th birthday. During this time, Lorraine lived on Pritchard Ave. and Machray Ave. 

Two years later she met Stan (Stanley Baxter Russell, 1954-2001). They were married on McNichol St. and then were together 23 years (1978-2001) until he passed away. With Stan (who became father to Shirley), she had Melanie Lorraine Anne Russell and Marty Baxter Joseph Russell at St. Boniface Hospital, then Stanley Ely Russell in Edmonton AB, Herbert Robert Russell (1985-1987) in New Westminster, BC, and Gerald Ronald Russell at the St. Boniface Hospital.  

With Stan and the kids Lorraine lived in; Winnipeg on Bowman Ave. (Elmwood), and Rothesay St. (East Kildonan), in Gimli, Petersfield in the country, then to Calgary and Edmonton in Alberta; to Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, and Maple Ridge, BC before returning to Winnipeg in 1985. During this time, Melanie, Marty, Ely and Herbie were born.  

In Winnipeg they lived on McGee St. (West End), Preston Ave. (Wolseley), Grove St. (Point Douglas) (it was here where Gerry was born and six weeks later Herbie died), Armstrong Ave. (West Kildonan), Belmont Ave. (West Kildonan), Warsaw Ave. (Fort Rouge), and Taylor Ave. (River Heights).  

In the mid 90s, Lorraine moved with Stan, Melanie, Marty, Ely, and Gerry to Ontario. They lived with Marty and Bambi Kriikkula (Marty is Marty’s godfather as well as Stan’s best friend), then to South Gillies and Nolalu. They moved to Thunder Bay, ON living on Pruden St., Dawson Rd., Wiley St., Finlayson St., Dufferin St., Prince Arthur Blvd, and Isabella St. 

After the death of Stan (2001), Lorraine moved back to Winnipeg. She stayed with Shirley’s family on Agnes St., then she and Gerry (last kid at home!) moved to a Langside St. apartment.  She then reconnected with Gerry (Gerald Vaughn Van der Rassel 1949-2015) who in addition to being Stan’s best friend, was also Gerry’s godfather. Lorraine, her son Gerry, and now her partner Gerry moved into a new house on Langside St. and lived there until 2004.  

In 2004 Lorraine and her partner Gerry moved to Thunder Bay and into a home on Simpson Ave. (with no kids!) where they lived for thirteen years.  In 2007, Lorraine and Gerry were married at the Thunder Bay Conservatory. They were married for 8 years until Gerry’s death in 2015.  Lorraine then moved in with Ely’s family.  

In 2017, she returned to Winnipeg and stayed with Shirley’s family on Frederick St. until moving into a duplex on Kent Rd. with her sister, Brenda. Their house on Kent Rd. was also home to many of her nieces and nephews (Harley, Michelle, Hailey, Courtney, Jason, and Zach) and then her son Ely and his family moved next door. Lorraine brought her humour and joy to many, many cities, towns and streets.  

Lorraine loved to play cards; she taught all her kids to do so. She was crafty, and she joined craft groups in Thunder Bay and Winnipeg. She made moccasins, did plastic canvas, and in the 1980s she did velvet paintings! In the early 1990s, their home was the centre of parties for the Fort Rouge Legion #252 crowd. Lorraine was generous and invited many people into her home. In Thunder Bay, her children’s friends all called her Ma. In her 60s, Lorraine actively joined the Manitoba Métis Federation with her sister Brenda and for the last few years they were the laughing, teasing, joking elders at New Horizons Local meetings and MMF meetings. Lorraine voted in MMF, Canadian federal and provincial and civiv elections as well as historic events surrounding the MMF Land Claims Case.  

Lorraine is lovingly remembered by her children and their families: Shirley and Kevin of Winnipeg, along with their children Ethan, Katherine, and Troy; Melanie and Shane of Ontario, with their children Dustin (Elizabeth) and Talerah; Marty and Trina of Ste. Anne’s, and their children Cody and Justin; Ely and Crystal of Winnipeg, with their children Madison, Kristoph, and adopted grandchildren Donte and Aiden; and Gerry and Nina of Stewart, BC, along with their children Angelina and Marshall. Lorraine was also blessed with great-grandchildren Ace, Katarina, Sage, and a soon-to-arrive baby, Angelina and Matthew’s child.

She is survived by her siblings Kipper Delorme (Judy), Brenda Benoit, Suzie Delorme (Larry), Freddie Delorme, and brother-in-law Wally Beauchamp. She leaves behind many beloved nieces and nephews from her Métis Delorme family, Stan’s Anishinaabe Russell family, and Gerry’s Dutch family.

Lorraine was predeceased by her grandparents, Mémère and Pépère Delorme (Théodore and Bernadette [née Ducharme] Delorme [1894-1957], and later Celestine [née Ducharme] Delorme [1895-1983]) and Mémère and Pépère Ducharme (Albert [1904-1984] and Nathalie [née Desjarlais] Ducharme [1912-1989]). She was also predeceased by her parents, Alfred Doris Delorme (1928-1992) and Antoinette Rose Marie (née Ducharme) Delorme (1931-2002); her spouses, Stanley Baxter Russell (1954-2001) and Gerald Vaughn Van der Rassel (1949-2015); her son, Herbert Robert Russell (1985-1987); her sister, Georgette (née Delorme) Beauchamp (1957-2019); her brother-in-law, Ronald Benoit (1949-2002); and nephew, Andrew Gunton (1986-2012).

Lorraine’s legacy of love, strength, and family will forever be cherished by those who knew and loved her. Although Lorraine has departed all of us here and we must go on without her, we take comfort in the fact that she is back with those whom she had loved and lost long before their time.

As per Lorraine’s wishes, she has been cremated. She will be buried with her husband Gerry at the St. Boniface Cemetery on Archibald Ave. in Winnipeg, MB. As per her wishes, some of her ashes will be laid to rest with her son Herbie, also at St. Boniface Cemetery.  

A Celebration of Life will be hosted by her children on Friday, November 8th, 2024, at Norberry-Glenlee Community Centre (26 Molgat Ave.) from 1:00- 4:00 pm. 

The afternoon will be come and go with a small program at 2:00 pm, there will be a light lunch. Desserts and other items friends and family may wish to add are welcome.  

If you have any photos or memories of Lorraine you would like to share in advance, or privately, please contact any one of the kids or submit to the Facebook Event Page – Lorraine’s Celebration of Life. 

Un gici marsee to the Manitoba Métis Federation for supporting Lorraine’s family during this time and for allowing Lorraine space to be such a proud Métis woman in her 60s. Thank you to all of mom’s home care, pharmacy as well as primary and specialist doctors.  

Donations in memory of Lorraine may be made to: 

Manitoba Métis Federation Bereavement Fund (who supported us today via donations like this)  

Point Douglas Women’s Resource Centre (where she grew up) 

Elmwood Community Resource Centre  (where she lives now) 

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