Lorene Desneige Fortin

Lorene Desneige Fortin, age 100, of Doland, the widow of Victor, died peacefully in the Avera St. Luke's Hospital at Aberdeen on Monday afternoon, October 24, 2016 after a very brief illness.

Visitation will be held on Friday, October 28, 2016 from 5-7PM in the St. Joseph Catholic Church at Turton with a Liturgical Wake service at 7PM.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, October 29, 2016 at 2:00 PM in the St. Joseph Catholic Church at Turton with The Reverend Mike Kelly celebrating.  The organist will be Heidi Williams with the soloist being Kathy Alwin. The active casketbearers will be the grandsons, Dale, Shane, James, Loren, Larry, Hal, Victor, Tony, Rob, Rod, Todd, Jon, Jason, and Casey. Her granddaughters, Michelle, Crystal, Valerie, Vonda, Tina, Missy, Nikki, Angelia, Andrea, Adrianne, Danneil, and Kristi will serve as honorary casketbearers. Burial will follow in the St. Joseph Cemetery at Turton. Following the burial, refreshments will be served in the Turton gym.

Lorene Desneige Wolfgram was born on March 13, 1916 in Shawano, WI, the second child of Albert and Desneige (Barrie) Wolfgram. After her parents divorce, Lorene lived with the nuns at the Turton convent from 1918-1922.  Her mother remarried in 1922 and to this union another daughter was born.  Lorene and her brother Lee reunited with their mother and family in 1922.  When Desneige passed away in 1924, half-sister Mary moved with her father to Missouri, while Lorene and Lee returned to Turton to live with Grandma Barrie.

In 1934 Lorene graduated from Turton High School as Valedictorian. Following her schooling she helped on the farm. On February 18, 1936 she was united in marriage to Victor Paul Fortin. The family farmed in the Turton area for many years. To this union, 13 children were born; Jim, Carol, Terry, Roger, Richard, Kenneth, Daniel, Robert, Steve, Norbert, Bonnie, Delbert, and Sherry. In the spring of 1978, they moved into Doland. Victor died in August of 1978.

Lorene has continued living in her own home except for about 2 months when she was in Aberdeen for therapy from a fall. She loved life, playing cards, visiting, and being patriotic. Others know she also enjoyed driving the golf cart, being in parades, dressing up for Halloween, and having a refreshment or two downtown! Those close to her know that she loved to tell & hear stories, but NEVER liked the long ones.

She was a very faithful member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Turton and Doland.  She was a member of the Doland American Legion Auxiliary and the Miles-Davis-Fortin VFW.  After the death of her son Robert during the war, she became a Gold Star Mother in 1971.

Preceding her in death was her parents, husband Victor in 1978, sons, Jim in 2013, Terry in 2000, and Robert in 1971 and 2 grandchildren, Chad Fortin in 2005, and Tara Fortin in 1965. Her siblings, Lee (Irene) Wolfgram and Mary (LeRoy) McKee also preceded her in death.

Grateful for having shared in her life are her children, Carol (Floyd) Smith of Aberdeen, Roger Fortin of Doland, Richard (Shari) Fortin of Aurora, CO, Kenneth (Joyce) Fortin of Doland, Daniel (Donna) Fortin of Swansboro, NC, Steve Fortin of Doland, Norbert (Janet) Fortin of Watertown, Bonnie (Ken) Hiles of Doland, Delbert (Janelle) Fortin of Redfield, and Sherry (Wayne) Board of Doland; 26 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren, and 20 great-great grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements are with the Furness Funeral Home at Clark where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com