Obituary of Lorraine G. White

On Wednesday, April 24th, 2024, Lorraine G. (Guertin) White, 96, of Haydenville MA, as well as Greenfield MA, formerly of Sturbridge MA, loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend, passed away peacefully at home with family after a period of declining health, and old age.

She was born in 1927 to Hector Guertin, and Lena (Lataille) Guertin in Southbridge, MA, and raised in Southbridge and Sturbridge, MA. She was an only child, her father was an optical factory foreman, and her mother ran her own beauty shop. Lorraine enjoyed her Summers on Big Alum Lake in Sturbridge, where she was lovingly watched over by her beloved Pepere, Joseph Lataille, while her parents were working. Lorraine's other grandparents predeceased her birth. Her cousin, Dorothy (Gardner) Crawford, was at a neighboring cottage and they loved to play and swim and row a boat across the lake to pick blueberries or climb Mt. Dan. She got her first job at 15, at Woolworth's, during WWII, when the work age was lowered by the Government from 16 to 15. She then entered a Training program at the American Optical Corp., and always had a Summer job with them. She would save her money towards the cost of College. At College she would earn spending cash by doing the hair of her sorority sisters.

Lorraine graduated from Wells High School in Southbridge and went on to the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. It was here that she met her future husband, Arthur F. White, Jr., a Phi Beta Kappa, of Worcester MA, and an Air Force veteran of WWII, who had flown supply planes from India to China over the Himalayas. Being a devout Catholic, Art had not wanted to fly bomber planes. Lorraine majored in Economics, and was a proud sister of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority, where she and her roommate, Jacqueline, "Jackie" (Marien) Warner were in a close-knit group of Kappa friends that went by the moniker, "The Big Ten". Jackie was the glue that held these gals together, being an outgoing spirit who readily made and cherished her friends. She and her husband Charlie Warner of Sunderland, were super hosts throughout their lives, that brought the Big Ten and many more alumni, friends and family together for enjoyable parties at their place, often for UMass alumni weekends or after football games.

One of Lorraine's dates with Art, was going to the UMass Military Ball where she was crowned the Queen of the Military Ball, which gave her the title of Honorary Colonel, and she had the honor of reviewing the troops later in the Spring. She also enjoyed participating in Vaudeville Shows while in college, and her act with Kappa sister, Elaine Stuart, as Gallagher and Sheen, was very popular. Lorraine received her Bachelor of Arts in 1948. She and Arthur wed in 1949 and a year later moved to Colonie, NY, built a house and were blessed with five children. She also enjoyed participating in shows put on by members of St. Clair's Catholic Church, and often sewed outfits for her children. She also worked at home for an answering service. The family returned to Sturbridge in the early 60's, when Art's territory in wholesale lumber sales was an easy commute for him. Living on Fisk Hill, and with a summer cottage on Big Alum Lake, which was modified for year-round living when the Fisk Hill house was sold. They were parishioners of St. Anne's Parish in Fiskdale. Their children share fond memories of going together on ski trips to Okemo Mountain in Vermont, where Lorraine was known for her signature Stem Christy skiing style. The family also enjoyed driving to Florida for vacations to visit Lorraine's father, Hector and his 2nd life partner, Rene Fornshill, who wintered in the Kissimmee, FL area. Such trips included days at Disney World and beach stops on the eastern coast of Florida.

Lorraine was a substitute teacher for many years in the Worcester County area, mainly in Oxford at the Clara Barton School, and also studied for her Masters in Teaching at Worcester State College. Her career path changed in the 70's, when she became an executive secretary to the President and Founder, Myles J. McDonough, at Flexcon in Spencer, and she later worked her way up from Office Manager to Credit Manager to Comptroller, also studying nights for her MBA at Anna Maria College. She retired at 65 and later went on for a number of years as a House Mother at Kappa Kappa Gamma, while renting out her home on Big Alum Lake until she eventually sold it, and made her home with family. Although not an active church member in her older years, she would enjoy the services offered on television. In her widowhood she enjoyed World travels with Jackie and Charlie Warner and other friends to Hawaii, Morocco, and many chartered sailing trips around the Caribbean. She and daughter Susan traveled together to Barbados. Art did not want to fly, even though he had been a pilot, and Lorraine had more world travels with her friends and family while he held down the fort. Memorable is her European trip with daughters Nancy and Kathy to meet up with daughter, Erin, in Germany, while Erin had two weeks of free time during a summer group school trip. Lorraine and her three daughters drove in a rental car through, Germany, France, including Paris and the French Riviera, Monaco, and through part of the Swiss Alps on their return to Germany. At one beautiful gorge along the road in the alps, the sisters stopped to hike down the gorge to the river to swim and told their Mother: "We'll be right back." Her daughters were surprised while swimming to have Lorraine appear in a pedal boat she had rented, calling "Hello ..." She was not one to sit and wait in the car.

She is predeceased by her parents, and husband, as well as her infant granddaughter, Elizabeth Ditcheos of Vermont. She is survived by her daughter, Susan Tolbert-White and husband, Randall Tolbert, her daughter, Kathryn White, her daughter, Erin White, all of Massachusetts, her son, Arthur F. White III and wife, Linda White of Spencer, MA, and her daughter, Nancy Ditcheos and husband, John Ditcheos of Vermont. She is also mourned by her 10 grandchildren, Arthur F. White, IV and wife, Michelle White, twins, Crystal White and Kimberly White, Evan White-Tolbert, Charles Cignoni, all of MA, her grandsons, Rowan Cignoni and wife, Alexandra Cignoni, Nicholas Ditcheos and wife, Jenna Ditcheos, her granddaughter, Jasmine Ditcheos, all of Vermont, her grandson Alexander Ditcheos and wife, Michelle Ditcheos of Rhode Island, and her granddaughter, Mia Cignoni, of Montana, who is the twin of Charlie of MA; and great-grandchildren, Molly White of MA, Natalie Olsen, Kai Ditcheos, Christian Ditcheos, and Charlotte Ditcheos, all of Vermont, and great-grandsons Callister Ditcheos and Trevor Ditcheos and their expected baby brother, all of Rhode Island. The family extends their heartfelt thank you and appreciation to one of Lorraine's caregivers and friends, Terry Atkinson, of Greenfield, MA, with whose mother, Agnes Atkinson, Lorraine had developed an instant friendship, when Aggie had moved in with her daughter, Terry. We all mourned her loss, when Aggie passed away in 2016.

Her Memorial service is on May 1st at 10:30am, with arrivals and visiting starting at 10am in the chapel at Beers and Story Funeral Home, 1475 North Main Street, Palmer, MA, 01069. Procession leaves promptly at 11:15 am for burial at St. Anne's Cemetery in Sturbridge, MA. Reception to follow, venue will be announced at the service.

The family would be honored by your presence. Flowers are welcome, but not expected, or making a donation to your favorite charity, in lieu of flowers, or any private moment of remembrance for those who are unable to attend, is also a beautiful gesture.