Sister Lorraine Olmscheid was born on November 4, 1940, in St. Martin, Minn. She was the youngest of 10 children born to the late Frank and Elizabeth (Wulfekuhle) Olmscheid. She was accepted as a Franciscan Sister of Little Falls, Minnesota, on July 31, 1960. She made her first profession of vows on August 12, 1962, and final vows on August 12, 1967. She was a Franciscan Sister for 63 years.
She attended District 152 in St. Martin through seventh grade. After her parents moved to Melrose, she completed eighth grade at St. Mary’s Catholic School. She graduated from Melrose High School in 1958.
She ministered in David, Ky.; Little Falls, Elk River, Breckenridge, St. Cloud, Duluth, Onamia, Anoka, Coon Rapids and St. Paul, Minn.
Sister Lorraine eagerly shared her many creative talents and skills with others wherever she went. She served as a homemaker, baker, cook, teacher’s aide and home health aide. She provided homecare services to families in need and later served as a senior companion. While at St. Vincent’s Mission in David, Ky., she also assisted with secretarial duties. During her years working with Sisters Care in St. Paul, she did personal care and housekeeping for the poor, elderly and mentally challenged. She felt privileged to share the Eucharist with them.
She had the gift of hospitality, always delighted in visiting and knew how to make people feel accepted and loved. She was an excellent seamstress and, in her pastime, embroidered many exquisitely beautiful items.
She enjoyed baking and finding ways to share freshly baked bread or rolls with others over a cup of coffee. She valued relationships with her sisters and the people with whom she ministered, sharing a ready smile, a good word and laughter wherever she went. She viewed the years of her life as lofty mountains and deep valleys, depicting the joys and difficulties of a life committed to the Lord Jesus. One of her favorite Scripture passages was: “Not that we have loved God, but that He first loved us.” (1 John 4:10)
Sister Lorraine was preceded in death by her siblings Eugene, Julian, Hilary, Roman, Claude, Stanley, Bernadine Dingmann and Mary Ann Fuchs. Survivors include her sister Adeline Graf, sisters-in-law Mildred, Peggy and Marion, nieces, nephews and her Franciscan Community.
A wake was held for Sister Lorraine on March 4, 2024, at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on March 5 at 11 a.m., at St. Francis Convent.
Sister Lorraine's Memorial Video
