Lorraine 'Lorrie' Toedter

Lorraine ‘Lorrie’ Alice Toedter, 86, of Staples, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on March 3, 2022, at Lakewood Hospital in Staples. A memorial service for Lorraine will be held on Tuesday March 8, 2022, at The Staples Alliance Church in Staples, MN with Pastors Zach Jones and Paul Johnson officiating. There will be a visitation at 10:00am, and the service will begin at 11:00am. Internment will be at a later date at Thomastown Covenant Church cemetery.

Lorrie was born on December 18, 1935, in Chicago, Illinois to Louis and Alice (Amundsen) Kercho. Lorrie attended North Park and North Central Colleges, graduating with an elementary teaching degree and began teaching primary grades in the Chicago area.  On December 22, 1962, Lorrie was united in marriage to Wendel Toedter, a farmer turned sailor whom she met on a blind date, and together they had 5 children.

Lorrie was a gifted teacher in many capacities throughout her life. Though her public school career yielded to mothering, she taught children in Sunday School, Good News Clubs and later substitute teaching, to name a few areas.

She shared in Wendel’s Navy career, setting up house in a number of states: Connecticut (twice), Hawaii, and Oklahoma, with a few months in Chicago, and lastly in 5 locations in Staples.  Wherever she lived, she was involved in her church women’s missionary group, Bible studies and prayer. She was quick to set her table for many who were away from family on a holiday or Sunday meal.  Her home was a welcoming place for younger military wives who saw her as a mentor.  She weathered shovelling a long driveway, gardening, dry wells, and parenting while Wendel was deployed at sea for months at a time. Ever learning, she taught herself to make jelly and jam, freeze and can, promote health by cutting back on sugar and adding wheat germ! She travelled with Wendel throughout the US, in Europe, Guatemala, Hong Kong and Japan, staying in homes of friends world wide.

In October of 1974, Lorrie’s world was changed and enriched with the birth of a son Wally.  She embraced his challenge of having Down Syndrome with immediately advocating for him and many others with disabilities.  She enjoyed watching and identifying birds near her homes, baking, sewing, reading, jig saw puzzles, attending local plays and music programs, and a good parade.  Her hands were continually busy, depending on the season, with cross stitching, crocheting, needle point, quilt squares, creating many hand crafts, and in her later years, she spent her days occupied with crossword puzzles. Lorrie loved to give gifts, and blessed many people with homemade gifts and meals.

She is survived by her faithful husband of 59 years, Wendel, her daughters Laura (Paul) Burdo and Andrea (Ron) Pond, her grandchildren Anthony (Tatum), Jonathon (Grace), Daniel (Jesse), Elijah, Aimee (Lyle), Jay, Brooke (Jhamel), Kal’el, and Louise, three great grandchildren, Justice, Connor, and Ze’Niyah, numerous brother and sister-in-laws, and many nieces and nephews.

Lorrie is preceded in death by her parents, her son Walter, infants Anne Marie and Baby Boy Toedter, her sister Jean Jacobson, and her brother Walter Kercho.

Arrangements are entrusted to Brenny Family Funeral Chapel, Staples.