Lorraine Zilpha Thompson, 98, of Cokato, died Monday, March 24, 2025, at the Cokato Manor, where she lived and received outstanding personal care for the past three plus years. A memorial service will be held June 21, 2025, from 12-2pm at Dassel Historical Center. Interment will be held at the Cokato Finnish Cemetery following the memorial service.
The Johnson Funeral Home of Dassel is in charge of the memorial arrangements. Any memorial or monetary donations should be made to Cokato Manor – Cokato Charitable Trust.
Lorraine Zilpha (Larimer) Thompson, the daughter of Isaak and Zilpha (O’Leary) Larimer, was born on June 23, 1926, in Tyler, Minnesota. She attended district schooling as well as Morris Ag School for her education. She traveled to California with her mother and sister, where they lived for a short time. Lorraine and her mother returned to Minnesota.
On September 23, 1945, Lorraine was united in marriage to Harold A. Thompson. Together they made their home in Cokato, later purchasing acreage by Cokato Lake where they lived for many years. Lorraine was a homemaker and an entrepreneur. Her businesses included being a seamstress, operating a diaper service, and opening Lorraine’s Ladies, Lads and Lasses clothing store in Cokato, which was destroyed by a fire. After working at the Minnesota Manufacturing and Mining facility in Hutchinson for a short time, she and Harold went into the egg business by putting up a building that housed 13,000 laying hens. Lorraine and Harold are most affectionately known for converting that “chicken coop” into a popular and well-loved roller-skating rink – Lakeside Skating– that was in operation for many years.
She enjoyed sewing, reading, and baking – especially her famous chocolate chip cookies, and angel food cake with seven-minute frosting to celebrate birthdays. Food was Lorraine’s love language.
She was quick to share her salvation experience after making the decision to follow Jesus at a Billy Graham rally in Minneapolis in her early 20’s. One of her passions was sharing the Gospel with those who needed encouragement. She wanted to make sure everyone had the most important thing taken care of – knowing Jesus as their savior. Church was an important part of Lorraine’s life. She served as a Sunday School teacher, a member of the Ladies Aid Circle, and Women’s Temperance Council. Lorraine and Harold were members of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in French Lake until the mid-1970’s, and then attended Albion Evangelical Free Church. They attended the Log Church in Crosslake, Minnesota, for a number of years when they moved to Lake Country after retirement. During those years she sewed many quilts and doll clothes for her grandchildren. Faith and family were an integral part of her life. She leaves a Godly legacy and will be dearly missed by her still-growing family and many friends.
She is survived by her children, Bonnie (Paul) Nylin of Crosslake, Ron Thompson of Crosslake, and Trudi (Gene) Westberg of Rochester; son-in-law Rodney Erickson of Annandale; nine grandchildren; thirty-five great grandchildren; and four great-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold; her parents; daughter, Lanette (Rodney) Erickson; daughter-in-law, Holly Thompson; son-in-law, Paul Nylin; sister, Luzzetta Larimer–Bernard; and half-brothers, Alphonso Tiedji and Dick Tiedji.