Lorraine Foley-Hargrove, 61
was born Sept.16, 1946, to Mary (Ruth) and Edward J. Foley in Butte. She left this life peacefully at home surrounded by friends on March 5, 2008, in Renton, Wash. She had many health challenges stemming from a 45-year struggle against the difficulties of kidney illness, but she embraced and lived life fully for nearly 62 years.
Lorraine graduated from Saint Patrick's Grade School in 1960, from Girl's Central High School in 1964, and from the University of Montana in 1968. Then her zest for travel led her to work in San Francisco, Virginia and Germany before returning to Montana.
While working at Moose's Saloon in Kalispell, she met the love of her life, J.P. Hargrove. On July 7, 1974, Lorraine and J.P. were 'united by God' in Kalispell.
Her kidneys failed her in the spring of 1975, and she began dialysis treatments three times a week. Lorraine and J.P. moved to the Seattle area, where Lorraine could have access to better medical care and J.P. went to work for the Boeing Company. For the last 27 years, they made their home near downtown Renton, close to the Cedar River.
Lorraine was a very social person and she enjoyed square dancing, bike riding, whitewater rafting, hiking and cross country skiing. To celebrate her 50th birthday, she sky-dived out of an airplane from an altitude of 12,500 feet.
In 1999, when dialysis was no longer maintaining her health efficiently, she fortunately received a kidney transplant, which both improved her health and gave her the gift of longer trips. She made numerous week-long rafting trips including the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, the Main Salmon River, the Lower Salmon River, the Snake River and the Green River in the Lodore Canyon in Utah.
She also made several trips to the east coast to enjoy fall colors and tour various sights including Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Niagara Falls, Acadia National Park in Maine and Prince Edward Island in Canada, where she met many of her cousins from her father's side of her family. She made winter trips to explore and enjoy the climates of southern California, Arizona and Hawaii.
For more exotic trips, she made delightful longer explorations to enjoy the people and wildlife of Australia and Costa Rica. She was thrilled to be able to spend a week touring her ancestral home country, Ireland, and meet many native Irish folks, including some cousins from her mother's side of her family.
In addition to her husband, J.P. Hargrove and his family, Lorraine is survived by five brothers and sisters, Ed Foley of Butte, Margaret Larson and husband, Burnell, of Marion, Eleanore Hauck of Missoula, Diane Maloney and husband, John, of Helena, and John Foley of Stevensville. She also has 11 nieces and nephews and 20 great-nieces and nephews.
Lorraine's church service, burial and reception will be held this Saturday, March 15, in Butte. There will be a viewing and visitation starting at 11 a.m. at the Holy Spirit Church. Mass of Christian Burial will start at noon and interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. There will be a reception at the Copper King Hotel (across from the airport). All who knew Lorraine are welcome and encouraged to attend these services if they can; however, a celebration of Lorraine's life will also be held in the Seattle area. Tentatively, this celebration will be during the last weekend in March. Details will follow sometime after March 17.
If you would like to make a memorial donation for Lorraine, it is requested that you make it either to your favorite environmental organization, or to the Northwest Kidney Centers Foundation, P.O. Box 3035, Seattle, WA 98114.