Memorial services for Lorraine H. Parish, age 78, of Watertown, SD, will be at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25, 2011, at the Crawford Funeral Chapel in Watertown. Rev. Tom Christenson will officiate.  Music will be provided by A.J. Sherrill as organist and Robbyn Givens as soloist.  Lorraine passed away on Friday, May 20, 2011, at the hospital in Watertown.  She was the widow of Verdon Parish.

     Burial will be at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Watertown.

     Visitation will be at the Crawford Funeral Chapel in Watertown on Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m.  The family is requested to meet at the chapel on Wednesday by 2:00 p.m. for a prayer service.

     Lorraine was born on March 23, 1933, at Watertown, SD, to Vincent and E. Marie (Schaeffer) Gartzke.  She attended Watertown High School.

     On April14, 1951, Lorraine married Verdon Parish at Watertown, SD.  The couple raised four children and lived in Watertown their whole lives, except for the two years that they lived in Spring Valley, MN.  Lorraine worked at Langenfeld’s Ice Cream, and waitressed at the Canteen Tavern and Sunnyside Inn, where she later retired. 

     She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and a lifetime member of the V.F.W. Auxiliary.  Lorraine enjoyed feeding the birds and squirrels, solving crossword puzzles, and working jigsaw puzzles.  She always loved spending time with family, especially on camping outings.

     Lorraine is survived by four children: Vinceen (Ron) Hanson and Michael (Judy) Parish all of Watertown, SD, Scott (Shelly) Parish of Minot, ND, and Kim Boettcher of Watertown, SD; three grandchildren; one great-grandchild; one brother, Kenneth “Butch” (Lori) Gartzke, of Fargo, ND; and one sister, Shirley Olson, of Sioux Falls, SD.

     She was preceded in death by her husband, Verdon, in 2008; her parents; and two sisters.