Obituary - Lorraine 'Rainy' Hanson

Tuesday, June 20, 2023, Lorraine "Rainy" Hanson left her home in Montana when she gained her angel wings after she succumbed to injuries received in an automobile accident on June 15, 2023.

Lorraine Kay came into the world as an identical twin on March 11, 1965, to C. Arthur and Dorothy (Hagen) Hanson in Kalispell, MT.

Lorraine grew up on the family farm northwest of Kalispell along with her three sisters. As a hard-working farm girl, she did all the typical farm things like changing irrigation pipe, driving grain truck, caring for animals, gardening, and canning.

At a young age, a family friend started calling her Rain, which then became Rainy. She's been called that ever since.

Rainy was baptized and confirmed at Stillwater Lutheran Church, attended West Valley Grade School, then graduated from Flathead High School in 1983.

As a youth she was a member of B & F Livestock and Pilot View 4-H Clubs, Stillwater Jr. Grange and Flathead FFA. She learned to sew, cook and can, raised several market hogs, and participated in other projects.

In the fall of 1984, she and a friend left for Washington, D.C. to become nannies. She worked for eight years as a nanny serving several families. This included seeing much of the east coast as well as several foreign countries. Her east coast adventures took her to Florida, where she had her only son, John Conrad Rorrer (J.C.). When J.C. was six months old, she returned to Kalispell.

After returning home, she enrolled in college and earned her RN degree. She spent her days unselfishly giving of herself to take care of others while working in Sidney, Havre, and Big Sandy. Recently, she served as a traveling RN in numerous small Montana communities. Other jobs included working at Henny Penny's, flagging for Torgerson's and as a Montana NASDA Field Enumerator.

Rainy was married to Les Knudsen for a short time.

Rainy enjoyed exploring the back roads around Havre, her home of many years, and knew the locations of several old schools, churches, and towns. She liked antique stores, Hereford cattle, John Deere tractors, cats, gardening, yum-yum cake, and the dollar store. She loved spending time with her family, most of all her grandson, Kaelyb.

Rainy was preceded in death by her mom, Dorothy, and both sets of grandparents.

She is survived by her son, J.C. and grandson, Kaelyb of Havre; dad, Art Hanson; sisters Sandy (Greg) Evenson, twin Linnette Thorp, all of Kalispell, sister Connie (Todd) Evenson of Gallatin Gateway, close friend Will McMinn of Gallatin Gateway, numerous aunts and uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and great nieces and nephews.

We admired Rainy for her strength and courage to be independent, live life to the fullest, and do everything she did with her full heart.

In true Rainy fashion of being a giver, she was a registered organ donor. She received a Walk of Honor while in the hospital before being taken off life support. Even in death, it is comforting to know that she was able to help others.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 8, at 2:00 p.m. in the 4-H Chuckwagon Building at the Great Northern Fairgrounds in Havre. Light refreshments will be served following the service.

Memorials may be made in Rainy's name to Hill County 4-H, the Hi-Line Nurse's Honor Guard, or the charity of your choice.

We have been together, we have been apart, but you will always be with us in our hearts.