Lorraine Nell Skoglund Gilkey was born September 15, 1922 in Chicago to Swedish immigrant August Skoglund and Nellie Peterson Skoglund. The youngest of 10 children, Lorraine enjoyed the fruit of her father's successful contracting business. She met her husband to be, William W. Gilkey, at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1940. As America went to war, William and Lorraine were married during a 2 week leave from the Navy.
After the war and helping William through law school, they moved to Manchester, IA to start a law practice and a family. Here Lorraine raised two of her three children, Lynn and Peter, helping William in the office, serving in the community and sponsoring the occasional backyard circus or hot cocoa party for the neighborhood kids.
In 1958 they moved their family to Clearwater, Florida and added Tom, the third child, to the family. Raising her family, Lorraine served on the PTA at her children's school and hosted Regina Schmidt (Keller), a German exchange student. She was a member of the Clearwater Women's Club, taught Sunday school and was a member at United Methodist Church and later Calvary Baptist.
Lorraine passed peacefully on Wednesday, March 30 at her home. She is survived by her husband, William, her children, Lynn Cruz, Peter and Thomas, 11 grandchildren and one great grandchild. Lorraine has always been the matriarch of her family seeing to the spiritual and family bonds necessary to keep everyone close. From donning a paper pilgrim hat for a Thanksgiving play with the grandchildren to hosting a wedding for her niece she has always been the consummate wife, mother, grandmother and of course gracious hostess. She will be greatly missed, but her legacy of grace and love will long live in our hearts.
Memorial service will be held Saturday, April 2 at 11:00AM at Sylvan Abbey Funeral Home in Clearwater, Florida. In lieu of flowers the family asks donations in Lorraine's name be sent to Alzheimer's Research Foundation.

Sylvan Abbey Funeral Home