Lorraine Janet Heese

Lorraine Janet (Esau) Heese was born February 1, 1937 to Helen and David Esau on her rural parental farm near the community of Dorintosh, Saskatchewan, Canada. Her early childhood was spent growing up on their family farm with older brother Stanley, younger sister Audrey, and brother Keray. Grade school education took place in a traditional one room country school. Morning and late afternoon were spent walking to school come rain or shine.

An early understanding of God as Creator, redeemer and sustainer in her life led to confession of faith, baptism and membership in the Daisy Meadow Mennonite Church. She left home at the early age of sixteen to enroll at the Swift Current Bible Institute, where she spent three years in biblical studies. High school was thereafter completed at Caronport and Rosthern Junior College. Three years later, she graduated from the University of Saskatchewan School of Nursing with an RN degree. While there, she also met the love of her life, Paul Heese, to whom she was married on June 8, l963. They moved to Winnipeg, Man., where Paul was enrolled at the University of Manitoba College of Dentistry. While there, she was employed in neurosurgical nursing, and later became recovery room head nurse. In 1965 they moved to Fessenden, North Dakota to establish Paul’s dental practice. Daughter Tami and son Jason were born there. They certainly were the joy of her life.

Her gift to home, church and community was hospitality and friendship, participating in many activities, simultaneously filling her home with friends and neighbors. There was an enthusiasm of both work and leisure which took her on mission trips to Haiti and Guatemala, accompanying Paul on numerous local, state and national professional meetings promoting volunteerism for dental services to underserved areas of the world.

Anticipating retirement, she was instrumental in obtaining property here in the Madison Valley. Part-time residency began in ‘95, evolving into permanent residency in ‘06 after returning from two years in Germany where husband Paul provided dental care for USAEUR personnel at Cambrai Fritsch base, Darmstadt.

Following an auto accident on March 15, Lorraine suffered extensive physical trauma necessitated months of intensive rehabilitation therapy. Improvement allowed her to be transferred home to receive care at Madison Valley Manor. She passed away peacefully in the Madison Valley Hospital on September 16, 2022.

Lorraine leaves to mourn her passing, her husband Paul, daughter Tami and husband Russell Capps, son Jason and wife Elizabeth, granddaughters Gabrielle, husband Miles, great-grand-son Wit, Olivia, Genevieve, and Anneliese, sister Audrey and husband Jack Bannerman, brother Keray, and a host of relatives and friends.

A memorial service to honor her life and witness will be held at the Madison Valley Baptist Church, Thursday, Nov. 10 at 2:00 pm,

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Madison Valley Hospital, Ennis, Montana.