LORRAINE GLENN SCRIBNER

Lorraine Scribner, age 75, died Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at her home in Johnson Canyon, Kanab UT from complications due to a recurrence of breast cancer.  Lorraine passed in the company of her beloved hero and husband, John Scribner, after days of loving care administered by family and friends. 

Lorraine was born in Oakland, CA to Guy William and Beatrice Lorraine Elliott. Lorraine was the first of two children.  Lorraine’s parents were an integral part of her lived experience.  Their principles and patterns formed a tapestry of ideals that shaped the woman we all loved and adored.  Her father “Bill” grew up farming throughout Nebraska and Wyoming.  His early years were marked by frigid winters and multi-generational poverty.  Late one afternoon when Bill was about 18 years old, a storm decimated the family’s crop. Bill subsequently left the farm and enlisted in the US Navy, a decision that would shape the life of Lorraine through the service of her father, brother, and grandson. 

World War II was under way and the Navy took Bill to the Bay Area of California where he met and married a 19-year-old, local girl by the name of Beatrice.  Bill was assigned to a Navy Destroyer and deployed before the birth of Lorraine on May 18, 1944.  Together Beatrice and Lorraine (“Lorrie”) lived for two years before Bill returned from the Pacific Theater.  Bill went on to serve in the US Navy for over 25 years; 9 years of which were spent on deployments that took him away from home and family. The family didn’t complain but rather assumed the rhythm of military life with difficult good-byes, numbered letters, packages of cookies, and happy reunions.  They eventually settled in sunny San Diego, CA where Lorraine and her beloved “brother Bill” lived a “perfect 50’s life.”  She enjoyed days at the beach, playing in the park, neighborhood friendships, backyard performances, and annual vacations to Yosemite. 

Lorraine’s parents taught her that perfection was the standard.  Threads sewn with a poorly administered stitch were pulled out and redone until each seam was correct.  This spirit carried with Lorraine over the life course as everything she did always had to be “just right.” 

As a young woman in San Diego, Lorraine capitalized on the 60’s movement and began her career as an entrepreneur.  She used her sewing talents to make clothes and leather goods that were sold on the beaches of La Jolla.  She also started a family with her late husband William Glenn and welcomed the birth of daughters Ginger and Julie.  Lorraine developed a lifelong relationship with her best friend, Corinne Gomez.  Together they flipped houses, made granola and raised their girls.  Above all else Lorraine loved being a mother and her dedication to this role was manifest in everything she did.  Crafting, sewing, decorating, cooking, participating, and providing advice (lots of advice) were among her lifelong mothering activities. 

In 2001, while working at a home improvement store a man approached Lorraine about a tile project.  In Lorraine’s writings he was a “handsome, tall, hunk of a man” with a Utah drawl.  The two made small talk as he purchased tile, then more tile.  Lorraine and her girls happily referred to the handsome customer as “the professor” due to his tenure at a local university.  The Professor was John Alvin Scribner, the father of two children and a Utah ranch owner and native.  Over time the two fell in love and retired to Dairy Canyon Ranch, in Johnson Canyon, Utah.  Lorraine loved her life on the ranch; and she took it upon herself to update the legacy property; putting in motion several renovation projects that harnessed her passion for all things home improvement and John’s passion for the ranch. 

Lorraine and John originally shared the ranch with John’s mother, Alice Judd Scribner, who became a “dear and special mother in law” embodying her own mother with her admirable strength.  Lorraine and John eventually married and continued to share in the harmony of a blended family that grew overtime.  Children and grandchildren basked in the love of their “Mimi and Pops” who made countless trips to California to celebrate the happy times of family life.  Family also made countless trips to Utah where Lorraine enjoyed teaching her grandchildren to sew, bake, work with wood, and participate in home improvement projects.  Lorraine loved summers with her grandchildren riding ATVs, looking for arrowheads, going to Powell and Duck Creek, cooking out at the fire pit with hot dogs and marshmallows, and watching John teach her grandchildren to care for the animals, drive the backhoe, brand new cows, and hunt down whatever wild animal was causing havoc at the ranch. 

Lorraine enjoyed participating actively in the UT/AZ ATV Club where she formerly served as an officer.  Lorraine vacationed happily with friends touring many parts of the western United States.  Her friends loved her smile and appreciated her happy ways and she loved their parties, poker nights, visits, ATV rides, and trips to St. George. 

In summary, Lorraine loved laughter, participation, connectedness, hard work, and family.  She loved life, but most of all she loved her “hero, cowboy, and her main love” John.

Survivors include husband John and the couple’s shared children Ginger Simonton, Julie Glenn, Allison Scribner, Rob Scribner and their respective partners Jeff Simonton, Michelle Scribner, and Eric Wickler; 5 grandsons and 7 granddaughters; as well as her lifelong best friend Corinne Gomez and her family; and a host of beloved family and friends from Utah to California, Florida to Arizona and beyond.  

Our family would like to thank the many friends who brought dinners, desserts, cookies, cinnamon rolls, brownies, and other wonderful treats which kept our family sustained day and night as we shared in Lorraine’s passing.  We would also like to thank members of the UT/AZ ATV Club for their outpouring of love and support.  We are grateful for the doctors and nurses at both the Kane County Hospital and the Dixie Regional Medical Center.  Most ardently we would like to thank our care team who ministered not only to Lorraine but to our family.  Jeannie Johnson cared for Lorraine around the clock with love, respect, and dignity along with the professionals at Zion’s Way whose steadfast dedication to Lorraine’s hospice care made passing in the comfort of her home a reality.  Lexi, Janelle, Brandi, and Holly you served our Heavenly Father through your gifts and talents; always filling the family home with the blessings of the Spirit.

Lastly, we would like to thank our Heavenly Father.  We thank Him for creating the beautiful red rock canyon where Lorraine lay nested at the time of her passing.  We also thank Him for thinning the veil to allow family members to return and minister to Lorraine and her family during this difficult transitionary time. 

The memorial has been postponed until further notice. Date and time will be posted as soon as it is rescheduled.

2020-03-24T20:02:23+00:00

2 Comments

  1. Kay Kemper floyd March 2, 2020 at 9:09 pm - Reply

    Beautiful tribute to a beautiful lady.
    May God keep his arms around u all and give you comfort in this difficult time.

  2. Dr Lance Masters March 4, 2020 at 12:04 am - Reply

    My dear friend John, you and I have been friends from the summer of 1971 on, classes together, papers together, working as Interns for the Cal Dept of Corrections Parole Agency, marching together at commencement, going out to hotel lounges with bands to “boogey” and at least try to pick up girls, then after a few years in MBA program together, then a few more years and both working together as Professors for about 15 years. Then I moved to another campus then out of the blue I become the President of a small college, and years later moved to the Philippines. We’ve always been together in that special kind of friendship that endures, never ends. I’m so very sorry for your loss of your dear Lorraine, more than words can say. I’m sorry I can’t be there March 28th,except in spirit we’ll get together early June. With brotherly love, Lance

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