Lorraine Kay (Rainy) Hanson, 58
On Tuesday, June 20, 2023, Lorraine “Rainy” Hanson left her home in Montana when she gained her angel wings after she succumbed to injuries received in an automobile accident on June 15, 2023.
She came into the world as an identical twin on March 11, 1965, to C. Arthur and Dorothy (Hagen) Hanson in Kalispell.
She grew up on the family farm northwest of Kalispell, along with her three sisters.
As a hard-working farm girl, she did all the typical farm things like changing irrigation pipe, driving grain truck, caring for animals, gardening and canning.
At a young age, a family friend started calling her Rain, which then became Rainy. She’s been called that ever since.
She was baptized and confirmed at Stillwater Lutheran Church, attended West Valley Grade School, then graduated from Flathead High School in 1983.
As a youth she was a member of B & F Livestock and Pilot View 4-H Clubs, Stillwater Jr. Grange and Flathead FFA. She learned to sew, cook and can. She raised several market hogs, and participated in other projects.
In the fall of 1984, she and a friend left for Washington, D.C. to become nannies. She worked for eight years as a nanny serving several families. This included seeing much of the east coast as well as several foreign countries.
Her east coast adventures took her to Florida, where she had her only son, John Conrad Rorrer (J.C.).
When J.C. was 6 months old, she returned to Kalispell. After returning home, she enrolled in college and earned her RN degree.
She spent her days unselfishly giving of herself to take care of others while working in Sidney, Havre and Big Sandy.
Recently, she served as a traveling RN in numerous small Montana communities. Other jobs included working at Henny Penny’s, flagging for Torgerson’s and as a Montana NASDA Field Enumerator.
She was married to Les Knudsen for a short time.
She enjoyed exploring the back roads around Havre, her home of many years, and knew the locations of several old schools, churches and towns.
She liked antique stores, Hereford cattle, John Deere tractors, cats, gardening, yum-yum cake, and the dollar store.
She loved spending time with her family, most of all her grandson Kaelyb.
She was preceded in death by her mom, Dorothy, and both sets of grandparents.
She is survived by her son, J.C.; her grandson, Kaelyb, of Havre; her dad, Art Hanson; her sisters, Sandy (Greg) Evenson; her twin, Linnette Thorp, all of Kalispell; her sister, Connie (Todd) Evenson, of Gallatin Gateway; and her close friend, Will McMinn, of Gallatin Gateway; numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, great-nieces and nephews.
We admired her for her strength and courage to be independent, live life to the fullest, and do everything she did with her full heart.
In true Rainy fashion of being a giver, she was a registered organ donor. She received a Walk of Honor while in the hospital before being taken off life support. Even in death, it is comforting to know that she was able to help others.
Rainy's memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 8, at the 4-H Chuckwagon Building at the Great Northern Fairgrounds in Havre. Light refreshments will be served following the service.
Memorials may be made in Rainy’s name to Hill County 4-H, the Hi-Line Nurse’s Honor Guard or the charity of your choice.
We have been together, we have been apart, but you will always be with us in our hearts.