Lorraine Theresa Swain
Lorraine Theresa Swain of Miramichi passed away peacefully at Hospice Fredericton, Fredericton, NB, November 14, 2019 at the age of 89. Lorraine was born in Chatham Head, NB, June 27, 1930. She was the daughter of Anthony and Edmay Henry.
She is survived by her children Joan, Theresa (Robert) Aboud, Greg, Gary (Caterina Crispo), Jennifer (Greg) Thompson, and her “adopted” Belgian daughter, Barbara Van Laere; her grandchildren Terri-Lynn, Laura, Jenna, Nathen, Meghan, Keenan, Matilda and Jack will miss their Grandmother; her great grandchildren Cash, Kingston, Walker, Flynn, and Ben; brothers Eric (Lauza) Henry, Patrick (Ann) Henry and sister Freda (Des) Trainor; sister-in-law Patsy (Malcolm) Daley; brothers-in-law, Jerry Swain and Bob Gallery; and many nieces and nephews on the Swain and Henry sides.
She was predeceased by her husband, Greg Swain; her infant daughter, Susan; her brothers, Ivan Henry, Medie Henry, Leo (Ruby) Henry, Fred (Leona) Henry, Tony (Yvonne) Henry; her sister, Agnes (Fred) Cormier; and her brothers-in-law William (Dot) Swain, Johnny (Carol) Swain, Donald (Zita) Swain and sisters-in-law Vera, wife of Jerry Swain and Betty, wife of Bob Gallery.
Smitten by a young Gregory Swain, she crossed the Atlantic Ocean to marry him in 1957 when Greg was serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Both daughters Joan and Theresa were born in Europe. Returning to Canada in 1961, Greg and Lorraine had children Greg, Gary, Susan (deceased) and Jennifer, all born in Ottawa, ON. Lorraine was an active member of the many parishes she was part of over the years both in Canada and abroad, including Our Lady of the Airways at CFB Uplands, Ottawa, ON, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Chatham Head and a long time member of St. Michael’s Parish in Chatham, NB. She returned to the East Coast in 1972 to assist in tending to her father, Anthony, a quadriplegic after a home fall. Lorraine was active in the Catholic Women’s League throughout her life and the Santa Maria Auxiliary of Council 1219 Knights of Columbus.
Lorraine worked at Henry Wilson Insurance Limited in Chatham, after all the children were at school. Beginning as a secretary, she studied in order to provide more and more insurance services to the company’s clients and assisting Henry in building a thriving business. She served as President of the Miramichi Chapter of the Right to Life and raised funds for the New Brunswick Kidney Foundation. As a teen, Lorraine had lost one kidney to tuberculosis.
Lorraine was quite athletic and adventurous as a young person, playing softball and acting in the dramas presented at the Parish Hall in Nelson, NB. She had a quick smile which she sustained up until the time of her death. Despite her frailness while in hospice care, the medical staff were amazed at her spirit and resilience. She possessed a keen pastoral sense of care for the physical and psychological needs of her family and friends. She always saw the person first and supported her family and friends without judgement. She lived a life of service, compassion, and care to her family, friends, community and her God.
Her family takes comfort in knowing that Lorraine and Greg are re-united in Heaven. We know that somewhere beyond this earth numerous variants (depending on the circumstances) of Mom’s patented exclamation, “Oh, Greg!”, are resounding.
Special thanks to Dr. Bea Sainz and the exceptionally gifted staff at Fredericton Hospice, staff at Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital who cared for our mother and especially Dr. Karrie Vanmiddlesworth, Dr. Jillian Goodyear and Dr. Robert Daigle as well as the nursing team in Palliative care for their compassion and care. In addition, thank you to Dr. Paula Keating in Miramichi for her ongoing care for Lorraine over the past years.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice Fredericton, 621 Churchhill Row, Fredericton, NB at https://hospicefredericton.ca/; Hospice Miramichi at https://www.hospicemiramichi.com/, the New Brunswick Right to Life Association at www.nbrighttolife.ca, or the St. Michael’s Parish Capital Campaign at http://stmichaelsbasilica.com/capital-campaign.
Visitation at Maher’s Funeral Home at 35 University Ave. in Miramichi on Monday, November 18, 2019 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Funeral Mass at St. Michael’s Basilica at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 19, 2019.