Lorraine Faye Stotts, 75
Lorraine Faye Stotts, 75, passed away peacefully on Nov. 23, 2019, at the Kalispell Regional Medical Center with her family by her side. Lorraine had a medical condition, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which she courageously battled for several years.
Lorraine was born in 1944 in Escanaba, Michigan, the second of five children born to Earl and Olive Crick. At the age of 12, the family moved to Kalispell where she graduated from Flathead County High School with the class of 1962. In the summer of 1968, she married Dick Stotts and they had two sons, Bob and Craig.
Dick was a Kalispell Police officer and Lorraine worked at the Conrad Bank and then worked for Flathead County in the plat room. She then worked in graphics, which eventually led to becoming a partner in the Kalispell Weekly News. She retired and within a few years wanted to go back to work. Lorraine loved people and made many friends over the next 14 years working in the booth at the landfill greeting everyone that came through the scales.
Lorraine and Dick enjoyed many trips to Hawaii with friends and family over the years. Several trips were spent with close friends that lived on the island. We were all blessed to have such an amazing person in our lives. Her love, generosity, and compassion were felt by everyone. She loved her family and adored her five grandchildren; she was their “Tutu,” which is Hawaiian for grandmother.
Lorraine made everyone around her feel good and she never complained about her health condition. She accepted it and was at peace due to her faith. She never let it get in the way of traveling south to visit her son’s family in Idaho and her siblings in California. Lorraine always looked forward to her visits with family and friends.
Lorraine was preceded in death by her parents Earl and Olive, in-laws Morgan and Allene, and her sister Beverly.
Lorraine is survived by her husband Dick of 51 years, her son Bob and wife Kristi of Kalispell, and her son Craig and wife Val of Twin Falls, Idaho. Also surviving are Tutu’s Angels (grandchildren), Brandon, Zachary, Brinlee, Benjamin, and Shelby. She is survived by her brother Cliff and wife Vickie of Whitefish; her sisters, Carol Lou and husband Melvin (Gus) of Somers, Marlene and husband Tom of Kalispell and many nieces and nephews also survive.
Thank you to all of our friends and family who have helped us through this difficult time. Tutu can never be replaced and our hearts are heavy during our time of grief. We find great comfort knowing she is at peace in heaven and we will treasure all of our beautiful memories of her. Lorraine’s kindness and love will forever be in our hearts and we will never forget the joy and comfort she provided to everyone. “We will miss you, Tutu.”
A celebration of life will be held in either the spring or summer of 2020 and will get the word out through various media formats. Lorraine didn’t want her family and friends to travel during this time of year due to the unpredictable weather and roadways.