Lorraine Traeger, 78, Mona Community, south of Culbertson, died after many battles with health issues on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009, at the Roosevelt Memorial Medical Center, Culbertson. Friends may sign the online register book and give their condolences at www.fulkersons.com.

Her funeral service is at 11 a.m. (M.S.T.) on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009, at the Bethel Free Lutheran Church, Culbertson. The Rev. Rich Ramsbacher is officiating. Interment is in the Richland Memorial Park, Sidney. The Rev. Bob Meehan is officiating.

Maxine Lorraine Martin was born Oct. 16, 1930, on the family farm in Dane Valley near McCabe, Mont. She was the sixth child born to Gunder and Mamie (Nelsen) Martin. She was raised and educated in the area, attending school in Dane Valley, where her older sister, Wilma, was her teacher.

She attended high school in Culbertson and graduated in 1949. While in high school and after graduation, she worked as a telephone operator until the time of her marriage.

On Dec. 13, 1949, she married Lloyd Parsons in Miles City. The couple took over his father’s farm in the Mona Community and expanded the farming and ranching operation until Lloyd’s death in 1975. The couple had three daughters. On Nov. 20, 1980, Lorraine married Robert Traeger. They continued to farm and ranch in Mona until her death.

Lorraine was a member of the Bethel Community Church and enjoyed worshipping there. She was also a member of the Mona Homemakers Club and enjoyed their monthly meetings. She was a member of the Culbertson Saddle Club and helped Bob on several parades and trail rides and would cook meals in his chuck wagon.

She enjoyed embroidering, being a ranch wife and was an excellent cook. Lorraine always had plenty of food for everyone. She was proud of her Scandinavian heritage and loved going to the annual Host-Fest in Minot. She also enjoyed traveling and made several trips to Alaska and went to Spain once.

Lorraine is survived by her husband, Bob, Mona; daughters, Sonja (John) Smart, Great Falls, Barbee (Duane) Hekkel, rural Culbertson and Pennie (Joe) Muth, Mona; sisters, Vera Olson and Marguerite Jacobs, both of Culbertson; stepchildren, Doug (Ginny) Traeger, Kalispell, Linda (Rocky) Marsh, Cranbrook, Alberta, Canada, Tracey (Ron) Hauso, Miles City; Terry (Chris) Traeger, Bainville; sister-in-law, Helen Berg, Glasgow; brother-in-law, Ernie Faulk, Olympia, Wash.; 22 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; first husband, Lloyd Parsons; brothers, Francis and Ray Martin and sister, Wilma Faulk.

Friends may call at the Bethel Free Lutheran Church, Culbertson, on Friday from 3-7 p.m. and again on Saturday one hour prior to services.