Lorraine Roskam

Lorraine Esther (Anderson) Roskam was born on June 25, 1933, to Albert T. and Esther M. (Barker) Anderson in Milaca, Minnesota. She passed peacefully in her sleep on January 24, 2026, at the age of 92.

Lorraine grew up on the family farm south of Bock, Minnesota, and attended Milaca schools. It was there she met the love of her life, Kenneth D. Roskam, after he transferred from the Onamia schools. Following high school, Lorraine moved to Minneapolis, where she worked at a dry cleaners until Kenneth returned from military service. They were married in July of 1955 and soon moved to California. Their daughter, Laurie, was born in San Francisco in July of 1958.

In 1960, Lorraine and Kenneth returned to Minnesota. They moved to Milaca in 1964 to be closer to the Anderson farm, living in a small house near the Bogus Brook Town Hall. In 1969, they took over the family farm and operated a small dairy cow operation. Lorraine also worked outside the home, first at Lyle’s Grocery Store and later at Alfred Olson’s, where she worked on the “men’s end” with shoes and fabric. This role helped fuel her lifelong love of sewing and quilting.

In 1992, Lorraine sold the farm to her daughter Laurie and son-in-law William and moved a mile down the road. In 2016, she moved into an apartment in town, where she lived until her passing.

Lorraine loved to travel and had a never-ending sense of adventure. She was always ready to go wherever someone would take her and especially cherished several cross-country bus trips with her sister, June. She was deeply devoted to her family and her church family. Always having at least one quilt project in progress, she was well known for her burp cloths and table runners. Lorraine was a “quilt lady” at Trinity Lutheran Church in Milaca and continued making pillowcase dresses for care packages up until her passing.

She was an avid bowler well into her 80s, when arthritis in her fingers and a new hip finally slowed her down. Lorraine’s love for people and her gift for making others smile will always be remembered.

Lorraine was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth; her parents; her brother, Melvin; her brother-in-law, Harry Lydeen; and several of Kenneth’s siblings.

She is survived by her daughter, Laurie (William C.) Nelson; granddaughters and their families: Loretta (Joseph) Skinner and great-grandsons Samuel, Zachary, and Ethan; Rachel Nelson and great-grandsons Blaze and Brody and great-granddaughters Bailey and Chloe; Rebecca (Jesse) Roehl and great-grandchildren Mya and Joshua; her sister, June Lydeen; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be held Saturday, February 7, 2026 at 11 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church in Milaca.  Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday.  Private burial will take place at Wendell Hill Cemetery at a later date.