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Lorraine A. (Mrs. Norris) Meland Jan 12 2009
Funeral services for Lorraine Ann (Mrs. Norris) Meland, age 73, of Wallace, SD, will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 17, 2009, in the New Helgen Lutheran Church, Florence, SD. Rev. Gary Anderson will officiate. Music will be provided by Dorothy Anderson, organist, Allen Anderson, soloist, and Steven Meland and Trent Nielson, guitarists and vocalists. Lorraine passed away on Monday, January 12, 2009, at the hospital in Watertown, SD. Burial will be in the Goodhue Lutheran Cemetery, rural Florence, SD. Honorary pallbearers will be Lorraine’s granddaughters: Jordan Meland, Tanya Meland, and Hannah Asfeldt. Active pallbearers will be Lorraine’s grandsons: Lars Meland, Luke Meland, Kristian Asfeldt, and Mark Meland, and her nephews: Anthony Colon, Michael Colon, and Timothy Colon. Visitation will be in the Crawford Funeral Chapel in Watertown on Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. and Saturday prior to services at the church. The family is requested to meet at the church on Saturday, by 9:15 a.m., for a prayer service. Lorraine was born on December 1, 1935, at Webster, SD, to Lawrence and Anna (Dale) Hagen. She grew up on the family farm and attended grade school at Ustrud Rural Schoolhouse. Lorraine graduated from Wallace High School and Augustana College, Sioux Falls, SD, with degrees in elementary education and music. Lorraine’s teaching career began with one year in Wallace and two years in Minneapolis, MN. On June 26, 1960, Lorraine was united in marriage to Norris Meland in a garden wedding on her parents’ farm. She continued teaching in New Effington for one year before Nathan was born. In July of 1962, Lorraine and Norris began 10 years of service as mission educators with the American Lutheran Church in Papua New Guinea. Steven and Karen were born during this time. While in New Guinea, Lorraine trained young girls and local women in family life skills, taught literacy and music, substituted as needed in school classrooms, and led Bible classes. When returning to the U.S. in 1972, Lorraine and Norris brought Dongau (Song) Singin, an adopted daughter from Papua New Guinea, to live with them and attend one year of high school in Florence, SD. This provided Dongau the opportunity to improve her English language skills which led to a lifetime career in education. Lorraine was hired by the Florence School District and taught in the elementary school for 21 years before retiring in 1993. During retirement, Lorraine and Norris were Winter Texans for 13 years and volunteered in educational and church activities both in the U.S. and Mexico. Out of a love for Jesus and a desire to live out her Christian faith, Lorraine was active in her church and had many concerns for local and world missions. She was also an active member of the local Gideon Auxiliary. One of Lorraine’s greatest loves was music. She began playing the piano and accordion as a young girl and has contributed to a multitude of life’s events through song or accompaniment. She also enjoyed gardening and had flowers in bloom throughout the year. Lorraine was a family historian who helped organize many gatherings, collected stories, and valued photos. Lorraine’s most recent activity included writing her life story. Her autobiography, titled “More Than I Could Have Imagined,” is to be completed following editing and publication, and aptly describes her attitude in life. Lorraine traveled extensively and had friends around the world. Throughout her life, her greatest enjoyment was time spent with family and friends. Lorraine is survived by her husband, Norris, of Wallace, SD; two sons: Nathan and his wife, Kathy Meland, of Wallace, SD, and Steven Meland of Sioux Falls, SD; one daughter, Karen, and her husband, Thomas Asfeldt, of Sioux Falls, SD; one sister, Corinne, and her husband, Miguel Colon, of Sioux Falls, SD; and seven grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Lorraine A. (Mrs. Norris) Meland
Jan 12 2009

Funeral services for Lorraine Ann (Mrs. Norris) Meland, age 73, of Wallace, SD, will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 17, 2009, in the New Helgen Lutheran Church, Florence, SD. Rev. Gary Anderson will officiate. Music will be provided by Dorothy Anderson, organist, Allen Anderson, soloist, and Steven Meland and Trent Nielson, guitarists and vocalists. Lorraine passed away on Monday, January 12, 2009, at the hospital in Watertown, SD.

Burial will be in the Goodhue Lutheran Cemetery, rural Florence, SD. Honorary pallbearers will be Lorraine’s granddaughters: Jordan Meland, Tanya Meland, and Hannah Asfeldt. Active pallbearers will be Lorraine’s grandsons: Lars Meland, Luke Meland, Kristian Asfeldt, and Mark Meland, and her nephews: Anthony Colon, Michael Colon, and Timothy Colon.

Visitation will be in the Crawford Funeral Chapel in Watertown on Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. and Saturday prior to services at the church. The family is requested to meet at the church on Saturday, by 9:15 a.m., for a prayer service.

Lorraine was born on December 1, 1935, at Webster, SD, to Lawrence and Anna (Dale) Hagen. She grew up on the family farm and attended grade school at Ustrud Rural Schoolhouse. Lorraine graduated from Wallace High School and Augustana College, Sioux Falls, SD, with degrees in elementary education and music. Lorraine’s teaching career began with one year in Wallace and two years in Minneapolis, MN.

On June 26, 1960, Lorraine was united in marriage to Norris Meland in a garden wedding on her parents’ farm. She continued teaching in New Effington for one year before Nathan was born. In July of 1962, Lorraine and Norris began 10 years of service as mission educators with the American Lutheran Church in Papua New Guinea. Steven and Karen were born during this time. While in New Guinea, Lorraine trained young girls and local women in family life skills, taught literacy and music, substituted as needed in school classrooms, and led Bible classes. When returning to the U.S. in 1972, Lorraine and Norris brought Dongau (Song) Singin, an adopted daughter from Papua New Guinea, to live with them and attend one year of high school in Florence, SD. This provided Dongau the opportunity to improve her English language skills which led to a lifetime career in education. Lorraine was hired by the Florence School District and taught in the elementary school for 21 years before retiring in 1993. During retirement, Lorraine and Norris were Winter Texans for 13 years and volunteered in educational and church activities both in the U.S. and Mexico.

Out of a love for Jesus and a desire to live out her Christian faith, Lorraine was active in her church and had many concerns for local and world missions. She was also an active member of the local Gideon Auxiliary. One of Lorraine’s greatest loves was music. She began playing the piano and accordion as a young girl and has contributed to a multitude of life’s events through song or accompaniment. She also enjoyed gardening and had flowers in bloom throughout the year. Lorraine was a family historian who helped organize many gatherings, collected stories, and valued photos. Lorraine’s most recent activity included writing her life story. Her autobiography, titled “More Than I Could Have Imagined,” is to be completed following editing and publication, and aptly describes her attitude in life. Lorraine traveled extensively and had friends around the world. Throughout her life, her greatest enjoyment was time spent with family and friends.

Lorraine is survived by her husband, Norris, of Wallace, SD; two sons: Nathan and his wife, Kathy Meland, of Wallace, SD, and Steven Meland of Sioux Falls, SD; one daughter, Karen, and her husband, Thomas Asfeldt, of Sioux Falls, SD; one sister, Corinne, and her husband, Miguel Colon, of Sioux Falls, SD; and seven grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

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Comment posted by: Luke Sorum
Sat 12th Mar 2011 05:47 pm

I never met Lorraine but I know how much she meant to her granddaughter Tanya. You have helped so many people in your life. I hope to be like you. You set an example for everyone. All the stories Tanya has told me about you show me you truly were and are an angel in her life. Rest In Peace.

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