Lorraine C. Hagen

Lorraine Cora Hellem Hagen, age 88, died Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at Eventide Lutheran Home in Moorhead, Minn.

She was born in Moorhead on November 4, 1924, to Laura Melhus and Conrad Hellem, graduating from Moorhead High School in 1942. Lorraine received her nursing degree from St. John’s School of Nursing in Fargo, ND, in 1945 and served in the Cadet Nurse Corps of the US Army. On May 11 of 1946, she married William Hagen of Fargo. After marriage, she worked as a private duty nurse.

After her youngest child started fourth grade, she went to work at the Fargo Clinic as a registered nurse in the Orthopedic Department. Lorraine spent the next twenty years of her nursing career there before she retired in 1985.

While still in high school, she played softball for the Fargo Moorhead Softball League, winning the North Dakota State Girls Softball Championship team in 1940. She continued to play women’s fast pitch softball for the Fargo Moorhead Squirrels and other teams.

In 2009, Bill and Lorraine moved to Eventide Catered Living in Moorhead. Bill and Lorraine celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary with family and friends the weekend before Bill passed away in 2011.
Lorraine was a lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Moorhead. She loved a good book, playing cards, crocheting, knitting, fishing, tending her roses and flowers, and cheering on her children and grandchildren at their school and sporting events.

She is survived by her brother Arvid Hellem of Moorhead; step-brothers Bob Marilyn Leiseth of Detroit Lakes, Minn., David Mary of Redwing, Minn., Arvid Marie Leiseth, Moorhead, and Milton Leiseth, Sisseton, SD; step-sister Gladys Jerry Altenbernd of Sabin, Minn.; daughter Cheryl Roger Thorpe of Sheridan, WY; sons Rick Sharon Hagen of McKinney, TX, Bill Chris Hagen of Moorhead, and David Trish Hagen of Mundelein, IL; grandchildren Rachel John Poole Gordon, Matthew Cassie Hagen, John Shahna Hagen, Becky Matt Abel, Laura Jonathan Osinga, Jenna Tony Nelson, Dave Hagen, Emily Hagen; step-grandchildren Vicki Dennis NelsonThorpe and Tom Kim Thorpe; eight great grandchildren, two step great grandchildren; and a step great-great granddaughter; sister-in-law Melba Hagen of Moorhead; and many nieces and nephews.

Lorraine was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Norman; step-brothers, Ron Leiseth and Henry Leiseth; and step-sister, Lillian Landmark.
Funeral Service: Saturday, March 30, 2013, at 2:00 p.m. in Wright Funeral Home, Moorhead, MN.

Visitation: One hour prior to the service.

Interment: Moorhead Memorial Gardens, Moorhead, MN.