Lorraine Frances Shafer (nee Conzemius)

With profound sadness we announce the passing of Lorraine on July 20, 2023, our loving and devoted mother and friend to all whose lives she touched. She left us while sleeping peacefully at Northshore Evanston Hospital Hospice after a short illness. She was 94.

Born in Breckinridge, Minnesota to farming parents John and Helen Conzemius, she witnessed incredible changes in her lifetime.  Always independent, she left the farm to pursue a nursing degree which was conferred by Saint Gabriel's School of Nursing, Little Falls, MN. After graduation, determined to achieve her college degree, she left Minnesota for Marquette University. As fate would have it, she met our father Gene on a blind date, fell madly in love and they were married a short time later. Her focus then changed from education to a raising a family of five children. After Gene's death in 1976, she returned to school completing her BS in Health Arts and MS in Health Services Administration, both from the College of St. Francis in Joliet, IL. After working in many different capacities in nursing and health care administration, she retired to Pewaukee, WI in 1996.  In her life and in retirement, she was an avid traveler, a consummate consumer of politics, enjoyed playing bridge, attending the arts; and participating in parish life, most recently at Queen of Apostles in Pewaukee, WI. Most important to her though, was her family and her Catholic faith. Lorraine led her life with intelligence, independence, understanding, compassion, dignity, graceand humor. She would want to be remembered, not with tears, but with smiles and laughter.

She was preceded in death by her husband Gene, parents John and Helen Conzemius and siblings John, Dorothy, Robert, David and Janice.

Lorraine is survived by her children Joan, John (Elaine), Beth Venugopal (Junias), Robert (Marlene) and James (Irene). She is survived by and was the proud grandmother of Annika Shafer, Maggie Shafer, Steve Venugopal (Elizabeth), Kathryn Hobbs (Gene), MerrynClements (Camden), Rachel Venugopal (fiancé, Donovan Blakney), Brigette Shafer, Gerard Shafer, John Shafer, Yvonne Torres and Isaac (Zubi) Puente. She is also survived by her great grandchildren John Robert, Ryan, Dominic, Elizabeth, Saylah, Zoe, Elijah, Dakota, Nora, Lana and Noah and her great, great grandson Caden John. She leaves behind her brother Michael and many beloved nieces, nephews, and friends.

She will be dearly missed and forever in our hearts.

Visitation will be held beginning at 4:00 pm followed by a prayer service and an opportunity to share stories at 6:00 pm on Thursday, July 27, 2023 at Queen of Apostles Church, in Pewaukee, WI. A Memorial Mass will be held on Friday, July 28, 2023 at 10:30 am at Queen of Apostles. The Mass will be preceded by visitation from 9:30 to 10:30 am and followed by a light lunch at the Church. It will be live streamed on the Queen of Apostles You Tube Channel. Interment of her ashes will be private and held at a later date at Prairie Home Cemetery, Waukesha, WI next to her husband.

We will be eternally grateful to the physician and nursing staff of Northshore Evanston Hospital for the care they gave our mother in her final days.

Memorials in our mother's name can be made to any Catholic charity or educational institution.