Loraine Voorhees

Loraine Voorhees passed away peacefully on October 20, 2022.

She was born Ivah Loraine McLain on April 4, 1924 to parents Wallace and Esther McLain.

She was the second of four children. Older brother James, and younger brothers John and Alfred.

Loraine attended the original Spring Lake Heights elementary school and in 1939 was the last graduating class.

During WWII she loved to dance and frequently did the jitterbug and other popular dances. She was active in USO work. Just out of Manasquan High she was approached by Camp Evans who were seeking qualified female employees. Loraine was selected from a large pool of candidates due to her secretarial skills.

In 1949 she met and married Russell Voorhees. Over the next 11 years they had 4 children, David, Valerie, Donald and James.

Loraine and Russell created a successful plumbing business and she did all of the office work. Their sense of fairness was imprinted on all of their children.

Loraine and Russell were both very active in their church, St. Andrew’s Methodist. Both taught Sunday school classes.

The family began taking camping trips in the early 60’s and Loraine learned the meaning of roughing it and grew to accept things like spiders. The family spent time together camping throughout the country.

Sadly, in 1988 Russell passed away. Loraine eventually moved to the Greenbriar community. As an avid quilter she began a group in their service club. She loved teaching many of her friends the craft. Loraine also rose to the position of Queen Mother of the Red Hat Society.

In 2000 her son Don introduced her to the Yankees. She and Don even went to a game at the old Yankee Stadium. Up until just before her death she would reprimand her boys when they lost games.

Living alone took its toll and in 2014 she moved to Francis Asbury Manor. She enjoyed running the small gift shop there. Many good friends were made there over the years.

Loraine was an avid reader and kept a running log of books she read. In just the several years at Francis Asbury Manor she had read over 500 books.

After her 96th birthday she contracted COVID 19 and following a long rehabilitation managed to regain her strength and stamina. A broken hip further challenged her but she also recovered and was working to getting back to walking. Unfortunately in August of 2022 she was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma.

She is survived by her son David and his wife Karen and 2 sons Garret and Coerte; daughter Valerie and her husband Bix Crossman, their children Josh, Luke and Grace and her husband Brian Manser and their 2 young sons Bixby and Syd; Pat Voorhees (wife of deceased son Donald) and their children Casey and Jeff and his wife Megan and their baby Noah; and youngest son James and his two children Ben and Rachel.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at St. Andrew’s Spring Lake at 11:00 am on December 3.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to: St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church.