Lorraine Welle

Lorraine Marie (Winkler) Welle, 91, of Mahnomen, MN died on May 29, 2023, at Pelican Landing where she had been living since September 2022.

She was a daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother, grandmother, great-mother, sought after bridge player, faithful servant, church volunteer and a woman who lived life by her morals, values, work ethic and love for God.

She was busy her whole life!

She was born November 14, 1931, on a farm in rural Mahnomen, MN to Frank and Julia Winkler. She was the fourth child of five children. Lorraine attended grade school in Duane Public School, a country school in Fosston, MN and went to Northwest Agriculture school in Crookston, MN.

Growing up in the depression, she learned hard work at a young age milking cows and shucking hay. Her father passed away when she was only 13 years old. She continued on the farm with her mother, brothers and sisters until happily marrying Ed Welle of Mahnomen, MN Oct 21, 1947. Together they build a reputable construction company, cabinet shop and real estate business in the Fargo/Moorhead area. They worked side by side until Ed’s passing on April 17, 2011. She continued managing many aspects of the business until her children recommended retirement at the youthful age of eighty-five years old. WDAY of Fargo even highlighted this remarkable and spirited woman in a TV special, called “she got fired”. (Not really, but it was time to relax, spend time with family and play more bridge). She was ready!!

Lorraine and Ed were known by their children and grandchildren as deeply devoted parents who introduced them to “lake life” in 1957 on Big Floyd Lake in Detroit Lakes, MN. Family was everything to both of them. And Lorraine found pure joy knowing her five children and three grandchildren along with their spouses all have places on Big Floyd Lake today.

Lorraine and Ed loved to travel and enjoyed traveling the world over until on one particular trip, Ed had filled out a questionnaire and said “enough, Lorraine, no more travel”!!

The essence of her was, if you want to get the job done, give it to Lorraine Welle. By thirty, she was the mother of six children, ran the business of Ed Welle Construction, and was the youngest woman in charge of Saint Joseph’s Women’s Auxiliary and its Annual Church dinner in Moorhead.

She leaves this world with many blessings and gratitudes of a good life, the love of God and the love of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, a license plate that says “card shark” and the one who picked the most weeds in life.

Lorraine is survived by her children, Linda (Jim) Johnson, Big Floyd Lake, DL, MN, Gloria (Jim) McLain, West Branch, Iowa, Wayne (Jean) Welle, Fargo, North Dakota, Terry (Chrisse) Welle, Fargo, North Dakota, Debbie (Bob) Welle-Powell, Big Floyd Lake, DL, MN, Jeanine (Gary) Donaldson, Circle Pines, MN. Lorraine is also survived by her twelve grandchildren, Carrie Anderson, Chris McLain, Angie Edinger, Jon McLain, Matt Welle, Jill Cannon, Alex Young, Ashlee Johnson, Brooke Armstrong, Courtney Lanes, Cory Donaldson, Julia Manning; twenty-three great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Lorraine is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Edwin; sisters, Alice VanPrybrouch, Shirley Welle, Agnes Smith (cousin-like sister); brothers, Ken and Jim Winkler.

The family wants to thank Hospice of the Red River Valley for the care they received. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of the Red River Valley and Pelican Landing, Detroit Lakes, MN.