"From the family of Bob Heath, brother of Vernon, our thoughts are with your family with the loss of such a wonderful woman. Wish we lived closer. I thought a lot of Lorraine and cherish the few times we met. lois_heath@yahoo.com"
In loving memory of
Lorraine Heath
December 14, 1920 - April 2, 2010
Lorraine Borders Heath, age 89 of Washington, went home to be with our Lord at 10:50 PM on Friday at the home of Yvonne Evans, her caregiver. She was born in the family farmhouse west of Washington on December 14, 1920. She was the fourth child to Charles and Mary M. (Warner) Borders. She was a 1937 graduate of Washington Catholic High School and attended Lochyear Business College. She began working as a secretary on August 8, 1938 for Pure Oil Company in Olney, Illinois. There she met Frank Riggs Grass whom she married on July 27, 1941. They had a son Frank Stephen Grass. After World War II they continued to live in Olney until Frank was transferred to the Pure Oil Chicago office in 1952, at that time the moved to Homewood, Illinois. After Frank's death, on April 2, 1956, Lorraine and Frank Stephen moved to Washington. She married John Vernon Heath on February 2, 1958. They had a daughter, Janice Elaine Heath. In 1968 Lorraine applied her outstanding clerical skills at St. Mary Catholic Church where she served as a volunteer administrative assistant for 34 years, and then from 2005 until February 2010 as a volunteer assistant for the Catholic Community of Washington. In recognition of her service to the church, in 1991 she was the first recipient from St. Mary's Parish to receive the Brute Award from the Diocese of Evansville. She was a mender of Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church and a member and passed secretary of Ladies Auxiliary of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. She is survived by one daughter and son in-law, Janice (Heath) and Michael Koberstein of Murphysboro, Illinois; one son and daughter in-law, Frank 'Steve' and Ann Grass of Charlotte, North Carolina; one step daughter and step son in-law, Heather (Heath) and James Raley of Charleston, South Carolina; one step son and step daughter in-law, John V. and Diane Heath of Herrin, Illinois; seven grandchildren, Jennifer Coty, Shannon Williams and husband Travis, Sean Grass and wife Corrina, Jerad Koberstein and wife Alexandra, Heath Koberstein, , Nick Koberstein, and Emily Koberstein; eight step grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; and several step great grandchildren She is preceded in death by her first husband, Frank R. Grass; her second husband, J. Vernon Heath on December 14, 1992; two sisters, Helen Endicott and Claribel Cissell; and one brother, Joe Borders A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 am on Wednesday at Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church with Father Gordon Mann and Father Ron Zgunda as con-celebrant. Burial will follow in St. John Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 pm with a wake service at 4 pm at Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church. Memorial Donations may be made to Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church 315 North East 3rd St. Washington, in. 47501or Helping Hearts Hospice 1314 East Walnut St. Washington, In. 47501. Ed Lee Mortuary is handling arrangements. Condolences may be sent online at www.edleemortuary.com
Tributes
"Frank and family, My deepest sympathy in the loss of your Mother. From: Donna(Grannan)McKeown"
"Jan, I am so sorry that your mother has passed away but am happy to know you were able to spend the last few weeks with her. It's never easy when we loose our parents but we are assured by our faith in God that they have gone to a better place with no worries and no pain. She is wrapped in arms of Jesus!! Love, Dianne Trammel"
"Frank - You are in my thoughts and prayers during this time of loss. Your Mother was a jewel on this earth and surely in Heaven now."
"Jan, I'm so sorry for the loss of your Mother. Your parents and my parents were friends...my Dad worked for the B&O too. Lorraine and I have exchanged jokes since she worked for St. Mary's! She would give them to my Mother who would pass them on to me...and after my Mother died, we kept it up via email. I so enjoyed hearing hometown news from your Mom. She was the sweetest of ladies and I will miss her dearly. My sympathies to your entire family."
"My thoughts and prayers are with your family. Ms.Lorraine touched the hearts of countless people, she will be remembered as she smiles down upon us."
"Lorraine was kind, benevolent, caring, and lived up to the " beatitudes " of the Word of God. I never heard her raise her voice in anger. She never gossiped. She was never to be found with fault. The 23rd Psalm is very comforting in this hour of need and I want to add another comforting thought. " Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say (Paul) and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." 2 Corinthians 5:6;8 Steve and Jan, I know that you have this assurance for Lorraine. She will be truly missed but our loss is Lorraine's gain. God bless all of you. From Lorraine's step son, John V. Heath Jr"
"So sorry, Frank. Your Mom was a beautiful person in every way."
"Jan, You have our deepest sympathy. We will keep you and your family in our thoughts and prayers."
"To: F. S. Grass, a treasured high school classmate--my sincere condolences as you endure the loss of your mother. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family."
"Jan, Mike and Family, So sorry for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this time. Love & Prayers, Ken & Sue"
"I am so sorry for your loss. Lorraine was very special to all of us who work at the Washington Carnegie Library. We really thought alot of her. She knew us all by name and showed us some of her funny emails. We missed her when she became ill and thought of her often when she didn't come in for awhile. We will miss her very much."