Lorraine Ashelin

Lorraine M. Ashelin

Lorraine M. Ashelin, 86, died on Sunday, March 12, 2017, in the Transition Care Unit of Lake Winona Manor, after a short illness.
Lorraine Mary Wantock was born on March 30, 1930, in Winona, to Frank and Balbena (Walske) Wantock. She attended school in Arcadia and Galesville, Wisconsin, graduating from Galesville High School in 1948.
In 1947 she met Vincent Ashelin at the Acorn Ballroom. They were married at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Pine Creek, Wisconsin, on May 14, 1949 and were married for over 61 years, until Vincent's death on November 3, 2010.
Lorraine worked for a short time at Winona General Hospital in 1948, then for Edstrom Music Store and Hal Leonard Publishing from January, 1949 through June, 2010.
Lorraine's life was abundantly filled with diverse interests included cooking, baking, freezing and canning, sewing and quilting, decorating, furniture refinishing, interior painting, and flower gardening -- especially geraniums. Lorraine cultivated her talents and gifts and lovingly passed many of them on to her children and grandchildren.
Lorraine was a member of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart and its Adoration and prayer ministries and a past member of the Winona Flower and Garden Club. She was an avid baker for the Cathedralfest, contributing hundreds of homemade pies over the years. She enjoyed attending classes at the Winona VoTech, Winona State and St. Mary's.
Family vacation highlights were camping throughout the United States and Canada and traveling to Hawaii.
In addition to her husband and parents, Lorraine was preceded in death by her infant son, Donald, and her brother, LeRoy Wantock. She is survived by her daughter, Cynthia (Gary) Gaspar, Sioux Falls; sons, Steven, Minneapolis/San Diego, and Keith, Chicago; and grandsons, Neil Gaspar and Carl Gaspar. Other survivors are Franklin (Ardyth) Wantock, Dorothy (Gary) Ruppert, Marcia Wantock, Gloria Ashelin, Tom (Polly) Ashelin, and a host of nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, March 18, at 2:00 p.m., at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, with the Rev. Mark McNea officiating. Burial will take place at Fort Snelling National Cemetery at a later date.
Friends may call Friday at Hoff Funeral Home from 5:00 PM to 7:00 p.m., where there will be a Christian prayer service/time for sharing at 6:45 p.m., followed by recitation of the Rosary at 7:00 p.m. Friends may also call one hour prior to the funeral Mass at the church on Saturday.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly suggests memorials may be directed to the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, the Catholic Worker/Dan Corcoran House or the donor's choice.