Lorraine Denise Anderson

Lorraine “Lori” Anderson went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Nov. 25, 2012, after suffering from multiple sclerosis for 24 years. Lori was born June 22, 1957, in Oakland, Calif., to Dorothy and Andy Anderson. She was the youngest of three children. Lori lived in Yountville for the majority of her life and attended Yountville Elementary School, Robert Louis Stevensen Middle School, and graduated from St. Helena High School in 1975. She attended Napa Valley College, where she received her degree and became a psychiatric technician. Lori went on to work as a psych tech for Napa State Hospital and ended her career early due to her disability at Crestwood Retirement Center. Lori was a gifted and talented singer. As a young woman, she sang in several bands that performed at numerous Napa Valley establishments. In addition, her band was the regular entertainment at The Saloon in Yountville back in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She also sang in numerous church choirs throughout her life. Lori never married and never had children; however, she loved her nieces and nephews as if they were her own children. Lori went to live near her sister, Susan, in Tacoma, Wash., in 2010, as she was suffering from her crippling MS symptoms. Lori passed peacefully with her sister Susan and niece Jennifer at her side. Lori is preceded in death by her mother, Dorothy Anderson. Lori is survived by her sister, Susan Mann (Stephen); brother Mike Olesen (Cyndi); nieces Lisa Cole (Ryan), Jennifer Perry (Kevin), and Kirsten Buckendorf (Theo); nephews John Olesen, Devin Bridges and Christian Olesen; great-niece Kortney Cole; and great-nephews Stephen Cole, Kyle Perry, Karson Perry, Jayden Olesen and Jacob Olesen. The family would like to thank all of the wonderful staff at Orchard Park Skilled Nursing Facility that cared for Lori over the past two years, as well as the compassionate nurses with Franciscan Hospice and Palliative Care. A private graveside service will be held in Napa in the summer of 2013. The family encourages donations in her memory be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Donation by mail to: National MS Society, PO Box 4527, New York, NY 10163; donation by phone: 1-800-344-4867; and donation by web: nationalmssociety.org.