Loraine E Washburn, 93, of Lawton, Iowa passed away on Wednesday, February 8, at Pioneer Valley Living and Rehab, Sergeant Bluff, Iowa. Visitation with the family Sunday, February 26, 5-7 p.m. with prayer service at 7 p.m. at Bethel Lutheran Church in Lawton. Funeral service, also at Bethel Monday, February 27 at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Robert Zellmer officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Waterbury Funeral Service. Inurnment will be at Banner Cemetery, Lawton, at a later date.

Loraine Elcy (Harrison) Washburn was born the daughter of William and Emma (Wulf) Harrison on February 23, 1929 in McPherson, Minnesota. When Loraine was two years old, the family moved to rural Lawton, Iowa. Loraine attended Banner Township schools until eighth grade and then Lawton High School. Loraine was confirmed at Bethel Lutheran Church in Lawton and remained a member of that church throughout her life. On April 21, 1949 Loraine married Bernard R. Washburn at St. John’s Lutheran parsonage in Sioux City.

She was an expert genealogist, publishing a family history of Bernie’s family entitled the “Wandering Washburns.” For many years she also distributed annual updates of happenings in the lives of her Harrison family. She did notable research in conjunction with her sister Irene on the Harrison line tracing the family back to colonial Maryland. Family was very important to Loraine with an amazing ability to recall the connections among family members going back many generations.

Loraine was loved for her infectious giggle and lovely smile. She cared deeply for her family and friends and had a wonderful way of making people feel welcomed and loved. Her handmade birthday cards were cherished by many.

For several years her house was “jigsaw puzzle central.” One Christmas her brother-in-law, Norm Custer, gave Loraine one box filled with the pieces of 100 separate jigsaw puzzles all jumbled together thinking it was a great joke that Loraine would just toss out. Instead, Loraine and her siblings assembled all of the puzzles in less than a year.

She was very active in the Lawton community. She was involved with the Lawton Friendship Center, traveled with the Dancing Grannies and Grandpas, led a musical group called the Great Grannies Rhythm Band, was active in church choir, and led a crafting group for several years in Lawton.

Loraine is survived by her son, Norman Washburn (Cathy), granddaughters, Lorella Pritt and Patricia Powell (Mike), great-grandsons, Joshua Powell (the late Courtney), Matthew Powell (Kaleyanisa), great-great-grandchildren Nikita and Jaxon Powell (children of Josh and Courtney), brothers Carl (Nancy) Harrison, William L Harrison (Ruth), and sister Annette Custer. She was preceded in death by her husband Bernard, parents William and Emma Harrison, sisters Irene Townsend and Betty Held, brothers-in-law Francis Townsend, Leroy Held, Norman Custer, and great-granddaughter-in-law Courtney Powell.