Lorraine A. Rickett

Lorraine Agnes (Jordan) Rickett

Passed away on her birthday, March 4, 2022 and by her side was her daughter, Cyndi Liane.  She was about to celebrate her 93rd birthday with well wishes coming in from all of her children and grandchildren via a “zoom-call.”

Lorraine was born on March 4, 1929 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to parents Ray and Margaret Jordan.  Lorraine was the third of their seven children and the oldest girl.   She was a daughter, sister, mother, aunt, and a friend to everyone she would meet.  She had a loving, genuine and authentic personality and always put others before herself, most importantly her children.  She was a Catholic and attended mass regularly prior to becoming ill.  She believed in God and understood that she would be going to heaven. We have no doubt that she was received on her birthday with a great celebration from all of her loved ones that she had so missed who had passed on before her.

She lived in several states during the course of her long and productive lifetime. She lived in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and was an honorary resident of Laguna Beach, California. In her later years, beginning in 1986, she made her permanent home in Coon Rapids, Minnesota.  She got a lot of comfort returning to Minnesota to live across the street from her loving brother, Raymond Jordan.

Lorraine was a devoted mother and loved her nine children making them the priority of her entire life.  She loved to keep up with their activities and achievements as well as being there for any of their disappointments – and oh how proud she was of each one of them.   She was up to the minute on key details and was known for sharing with her friends the happenings of each child and what they were doing in that very moment.  She spent forty years constructing photo albums and had pictures adorning her walls illustrating all their accomplishments. If you spent time at her home, you would be sure to slide an album off the shelf to see any one particular child and the images saved in their photo album.

Lorraine graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1947 and would say she wished she would have continued her education, but when she was growing up that was not what women did; they raised their families. Her first official job was working at a Chinese Restaurant which would begin her life-long pursuit of “good Chinese food.”  She would bring home food for her mother and siblings – this is where the love of Chow Mein began.  She would later develop her list of favorite foods that would include Prime Rib, Shrimp dishes, and yes, the unbelievable KFC chicken (it was her favorite comfort food). If you came to her home she could “whip-up” a meal before you could hang up your coat.  She always wanted to feed you and it was certain you would never leave hungry.

Lorraine met what would be her future husband, the late Edward Rickett while working for Sears & Roebucks in 1948.  Edward and Lorraine were married April 23,1949 in the Holy Rosery Church in Minneapolis. They would start their family and Lorraine would begin having children from 1950 through1968. She would later share that she was never lonely in her later years because there was always a child that needed her in some way.  The child that needed her the most was her fifth son, Shawn Charles.  Of those nine children, there would be ten grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Lorraine Agnes Jordan (Rickett) leaves a long and lasting legacy with each and every one of these individuals.  She would often share how she felt like she grew up with her children.

She loved to travel with her daughters, she would have extended stays in California. She loved to be in the water and by the water – most notably Laguna Beach.  For many years, she would stay with her daughters during the cold Minnesota winters and return to her home in Coon Rapids the remaining part of the year. She would often say how lucky she was to have the opportunity to visit California each year.  She would also share that one of her most favorite trips was when she got to go on her daughters’ honeymoon to Europe.  Yes, she went with her daughter Jeanien on her honeymoon to Europe in 2001. She also had an opportunity to celebrate on many occasions with another favorite past-time, going on cruises. She took several with her children – one in particular was for her birthday when she stayed in the “owners-suite” as she cruised the islands of Hawaii – she would talk about this cruise for years.  She celebrated her 80th birthday in the Caribbean with many of her children and grandchildren. In the later years, she grew to enjoy the weather of Arizona with her eldest son, Glen. She would also share her enjoyment of spending time with her youngest son Daniel and his family on their lake home in Wisconsin. These were her most cherished times, being with those she loved.

In the middle part of her life, Lorraine would help support her two middle sons, Gary and Eddie’s business at Montana Hospitality Cleaning Services.  Her sons would often say that mother made friends with all of their clients because of how friendly she was.  She would rarely receive hang-ups but instead made friends.  She herself had an amazing work ethic, and albeit accidental, she instilled that same work ethic in her younger children. Many of them will recall earning extra money by going door to door selling furniture polish, handi-bands, or whatever else was leftover in the garage from their dad’s many businesses.  If she wasn’t encouraging her children to earn money going door to door, she employed them in her year-round garage sale that everyone in the neighborhood came to expect.  Perhaps, her children may not have initially appreciated these early life lessons for economic survival, but these values and their origins would be realized later as evident in her children’s choice of professions.

Her own brothers and sister also played a special role in her life.  She would always say how much she loved them and would speak with great pride about how they ‘grew her dad’s business, Ray Jordan’s and Son’s Landscaping’ and this was a source of great pride.  She would tell her own children, when things got heated between them “my siblings would never….” and that would give them opportunity for a moment of pause to consider their actions and choices.

In later years, she would say she loved to go on cruises, play bingo; she loved to read a good romance novel like most recently the series of “Bridgerton.”  Lorraine always wanted to go and see a live version of, “the Prices Right.”   During these years, her son, Steven would begin to take care of her and our brother Shawn.  Steve has been her caregiver for over ten years – for which all of the siblings are sincerely appreciative of. He will continue to honor her last wishes of making sure that her son, our brother, Shawn remains living with his siblings.

She will be Forever Missed by: children, Glen (Sandra) Rickett, Steven Rickett, Gary (Becky) Rickett, Eddie (Delores) Rickett, Cyndi Brookhart, Shawn Rickett, Dan (Paula) Rickett, Laurie (Ron) Bruneau; grandchildren, Angela, Jennifer, Rachelle, Ryan, David, Abby, Casey, Will, Shannon, and Eleanor; sibling, Tom (Nadine) Jordan; 8 great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, and friends. She is preceded in death by daughter, Jeanien Rickett Cowan; baby son, David; parents, Raymond and Margaret Jordan; siblings, Leonard, Ray, Rich, Mick, and Beverly.

Lorraine Agnes Jordan (Rickett) leaves a strong and lasting impression on all who knew her. She was a strong woman and had a long productive and rewarding life.  We will miss her – but we know she is with her family in heaven.

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On behalf of the Rickett Family, a sincere heart-filled thank you for the staff at St Therese at Oxbow Lake for all the care, love, and compassion they showed her during her time in the Assisted Living and Nursing Care-Suites. In particular, Nurse Kathy, Chloe, Nurse Linda, Rebecca, and Dan. You were there for her when her family could not be – during the Pandemic and we extend our deepest and most sincere thanks to you all.

The Service will be livestreamed here.