Lorraine Latoria

Lorraine Julia Latoria (nee Bavacose-Barry), 92, entered eternal life Tuesday, May 11, 2021. Chicago born, March 18, 1929, she grew up in Norwood Park, IL graduating from Norwood Park elementary & Taft High School, Class of 1946, before the family moved to River Grove. As taught by her Vermont native born mother Gertrude, Lorraine loved the outdoors, walking & picnicking in the forest preserves, identifying wildflowers, berries, trees, birds, animals, loving all things of Nature, teaching her own children the same. This love extended to gardening & landscaping of all her future homes. In happy childhood summer visits to Vermont family & cousins, she delighted in their farm lives, the hills, mountains & brooks. As a young adult, she enjoyed fun jobs; on the wait staff at the Woodstock Inn, VT, a Wisc summer resort (like “Dirty Dancing”), asst cook at a Colorado dude ranch, a Marshall Field’s elevator girl & as an AT&T telephone operator. Lorraine loved, honored & shared the stories of her maternal New England ancestry, dating back to 1634. She was a wonderful homemaker & mother & was admired as the “neighborhood Mom”, supervising lemonade stands, tent-making, picnics, trips to the lakes & the zoo. She enjoyed dancing, horsebackriding, was expert at having her garage sales and in later years enjoyed being an active member of the Elk Grove Village Sr Ctr. Lorraine was a Lady, a gentle, patient soul, with quiet, solid strength & wisdom. She touched many lives & was loved & respected by all who knew her. She will be greatly missed. Adored wife of 70 years to John; beloved mom of Pauline (the late George) Grochowski, Pamela Larsen (former son-in-law Robert) and Patti (Mark) Reinbold; cherished grandma of Dana, Bethany (Bill), David (Meghan), Rebecca (Anthony), Julie (fiancé Sean) and great-grandma to Addysyn and Harper; loving daughter of the late Harris and Gertrude (nee Leavitt) Bavacose-Barry; dear sister of the late Thomas, Phillip and Eleanor and caring aunt to many nieces and nephews. Visitation 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. with a service at 7:00p.m. on Monday, May 17, 2021 at the Countryside Funeral Home, 950 South Bartlett Rd (at Stearns Rd), Bartlett. Masks are required. Following services, cremation will be private at the Countryside Crematory. Her final resting place will be Lakewood Memorial Park, Elgin.