Lorraine Kay

Lorraine Kay

1928 – 2026

HOLSTEIN - Lorraine Kay, 97, of Holstein, passed away peacefully, lovingly held by her family in her home from heart failure on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. Per Lorraine's wishes, there will be a private family graveside service at the Holstein Cemetery. A visitation was held on Monday, March 2, 2026 from 5-7 p.m. at the Nicklas D. Jensen Funeral Home of Holstein. The Nicklas D. Jensen Funeral Home of Holstein was in charge of the arrangements.

She was born on Sept. 1, 1928, on a farm east of Cherokee. She was the oldest of three children to Albert and Pauline (Weis) Weathers. Her family purchased and moved to a farm on the outer edge of Gaza, Iowa when she was in fifth grade. While growing up, Lorraine would walk to school and into Gaza, as it was close to her family’s farm. She was a member of the largest graduating class of Gaza High School and enjoyed sports, especially basketball for the Gaza Pirates. Lorraine was one of the oldest remaining classmates from the Gaza class of 1946.

 Throughout her 97 years, Lorraine witnessed incredible changes in the world.  She was very strong and resilient, surviving many childhood illnesses ranging from measles to mumps to scarlet fever, and also covid in the year 2023. Her first job in her teenage years was as a telephone switchboard operator; she could always recite her home phone number, 3F14 party line, which would ring through in three short rings. Lorraine was always ready to provide a helping hand and especially loved being outside helping her dad. After graduation, she helped her dad harvest and then started working at the Primghar Hospital. It was the calling of healthcare, and her passion for helping others leading her to continue her successful career at Sioux Valley Memorial Hospital, a larger hospital in Cherokee. She was fortunate to live with her Aunt Jessie to commute to work and would frequently commute by train to see her parents in Gaza whenever possible.

On the weekends, she would spend time with coworkers at various hangouts in the neighboring towns. It was in a Correctionville hangout where she first met Walter “Walt” Kay. Lorraine and Walt began dating and later married on April 15, 1950. Their first home was in Cherokee. They relocated to Holstein upon purchasing their family farm in 1951 northeast of town. She was very proud to acquire the family farm, to which they acquired several additional pieces of farmland over the years. Lorraine always wanted a family, and she and Walt were blessed with eight children: Jim, Randy, Steve, Deb, Terri, Pam, Joni, and Lonny. She worked full time as a homemaker and helped Walt on the farm.  She had wonderful vegetable and flower gardens, particularly loving her large flower beds. She had a large kitchen in which she enjoyed baking anything and everything with recipes she could recite from memory; from her special tea ring to her amazing apple pies and cookies, to homemade bread. In their spare time, Lorraine and Walt loved to waltz at local hangouts including the Cobblestone and Timber Ridge. They were members of the neighborhood card club, known as the Chatter So Club, where Lorraine was a prominent member and held several officer positions. Lorraine and Walt shared a love of travel and were fortunate to travel together to numerous places, including particularly memorable trips to Germany, Switzerland, Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, Branson, Florida, Jamaica, Washington DC, and Tennessee, to name a few. Throughout her travels, Lorraine began a memorable tradition of collecting Christmas ornaments from the locations visited. Her Christmas tree proudly and beautifully displays the ornaments each year, and is a precious tradition carried on by her children and grandchildren.

Upon Lorraine and Walt’s retirements, they built a new home in Holstein and moved in 1986. Together, they shared a love of music, including the special music Walt played on his accordion. Walt passed away on June 6, 2005. Lorraine continued to enjoy going to card clubs and watching Lawrence Welk on Saturday nights, as it reminded her of waltzing with Walt. She was a lifelong member of the St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church of Holstein and enjoyed listening to the bells and special music. She was very proud of her grandchildren and enjoyed attending their various events, from music to sports, even following them to the Iowa State Softball Tournament in 2013. She truly loved her family and was extremely proud of the values instilled into each of their lives.

She is survived by her eight children, Jim (Donna) Kay, Randy (Betty) Kay, Steve (Sue) Kay, Deb (Rich) Gilmore, Terri (David) Brown, Pam Kay (Keith), Joni (Rob) Blenner and Lonny (Jeannette) Kay; grandchildren, Julie, Jennifer, Josette, Marcie, Cory, Scott, Kristina, Ashlynn, Kaylee, Dylan and Austin; 15 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild due in August.  She is also survived by her sister, Alverta (Vern) Gries; sister-in-law, Karen Weathers and brother-in-law, Alvin “Bud” Kay and many extended family and friends.

Lorraine was preceded in death by her husband, Walt, after 55 years of marriage; her parents; grandsons, Brian Moret, Alan Moret and Trent Kay; brother, John Weathers; parents-in-law, Carl and Paula Kay; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Minnie and Jess Williams, Edna and Ray Nelson, Irene and Paul Ford, Herb and Joyce Kay, Evelyn and Willard Carlson and Donna Kay.

Online condolences can be made at nicklasdjensenfh.com