Lorraine Sylvia (Sveum) Ekren, the daughter of John and Alma (Ramberg) Sveum was born May 16, 1923 in Rugby, North Dakota, the eldest of six children.  She peacefully passed into the loving arms of our Lord at the age of 92 years on Friday, May 6, 2016 at the Heart of America Medical Center in Rugby.

Lorraine was raised in the home of her parents and graduated from Rugby High School, the class of 1942.  She was united in marriage to Rolland Ekren on April 27, 1943 in Colorado Springs. Colorado, where Rolland was stationed in the U.S. Army at Camp Carson.  While living there, Lorraine worked as a manager and clerk at a coal and feed company.  After the birth of her first son, Rodney, Lorraine returned to Rugby on the train.  Rolland would follow later after his discharge.  A loving wife, mother, grandmother and homemaker, Lorraine also worked outside the home over the years at Jacobson’s Department Store, Hersey Drug, and for 20 years at the Heart of America Medical Center as Director of Purchasing.  After retiring, she worked at the Prairie Village Museum and also served on their Board of Directors.  She was a member of First Lutheran Church, its WELCA, First Lutheran Quilters and a former Sunday school teacher.  Lorraine also enjoyed membership in the VFW Ladies Auxiliary and the Good Samaritan Hospital Auxiliary.  Rolland died November 15, 1993.

Lorraine’s home was the gathering place for family and friends, where everyone always felt welcomed.  She was known by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren as the “Lefse Grandma”.  “Gram” nurtured her family with her special ways of cooking potato dumplings, vegetable soup, and her strawberry rhubarb jam.  During hunting season, she kept the boys and dogs well fed with Gram’s mashed potatoes and gravy.  Christmas mornings always featured her beautifully decorated tea ring and other special treats.  She crocheted her family afghans and sewed blue jean quilts for them all.  Lorraine loved to travel, and was especially drawn to the mountains, doing her puzzles, reading, picking chokecherries, giving and receiving hugs, cooking and baking.

She is survived by her two sons, Rodney (Mary Anne) of Bismarck and Keith (Cynthia) of Vero Beach, Florida; grandchildren, Michael Jelsing, Angela (Frederick) Baillie, Cynthia (Tim) Frederick, Stephanie (Craig) Kuntz, Jessica (Shawn) Bauer, Ben, Hannah and Sam Ekren; 7 great-grandchildren; a brother, Archie (Eunice) Sveum of Jamestown; brothers-in-law, Robert Gilje of Rolette and Joseph Tuchscherer of Rugby; sisters-in-law, Doris Sveum of Rugby and Lolly Sveum of San Bernardino, CA.  She was preceded in death by her husband; a daughter and son-in-law, Gail and Marvin Jelsing; 2 sisters, Elda Mae Tuchscherer and Marlene Gilje; 2 brothers, Merlin and Rolland Sveum; and her parents.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 10^th at the First Lutheran Church in Rugby with burial in the Persilla Watts Cemetery, Rugby.  Pastors Michael Pretzer and Sharon Baker officiating.

Friends may call from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Monday at the Anderson Funeral Home in Rugby and for one hour prior to the time of services on Tuesday in the church.