Lorraine L. Kane

After a brief illness, Lorraine Louise (Mellon) Kane, 74, died surrounded by her loving family on May 30 ^th at St. Elizabeth’s Home in East Greenwich.

Lorraine had a remarkable seventy-four years on earth. She graduated from Classical High School in Providence and attended Annhurst College in Connecticut.  She modeled for a number of years and, in 1964, became a stewardess for American Airlines based in New York City.  Because in 1965 stewardesses were not allowed to marry, she left American when she fell in love with and married Stephen Patrick Kane, a marriage that flourished for fifty-four years.  Rain and Steve had three blessed children who each married amazing partners: Colin Patrick (Karen West), Brendan Conor (Brooke Pascoe), and Michaela (Peter Brockmann).  She also considered Jared and Erin Earley her adopted children.  She was very proud of her eight grandchildren: John Patrick, Hopie, Hannah, Dylan Conor, Charlotte, Lily, Claire, and Joey.  She was predeceased by her parents, Peter and Agnes Mellon, her sister, Marilyn Haxton, and her brother, Francis “Pete” Mellon.

Lorraine served as a state representative from 1976 to 1986; serving her first two terms as a Republican, and her last three as a Democrat.  She never lost an election.  She also worked as a banquet sales manager at Quidnessett Country Club for over thirty-five years, coordinating and managing hundreds of weddings, banquets, and golf outings.  She brought her profound understanding of both the joy and challenges of marriage to many couples as a Pre-Cana instructor and as a marriage officiant.  Along the way, Lorraine received numerous awards for her many years of service; she was particularly thrilled to receive the Rhode Island Hospitality Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.  Other than her family, her proudest accomplishment was servicing as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist to the Sick for sixteen years.

Her family is grateful for the compassionate care provided by the teams at Kent Hospital, Rhode Island Hospital, and St. Elizabeth’s Home, especially the kindness and loving care provided by Dr. Veena Iyer and Megan Comella. Lorraine touched people’s lives, no matter what their circumstances, with her exceptional Catholic faith, optimism in all things, and her constant outpouring of love.  Her final wish before she joined those who went before her was to “shed no tears…just laugh and enjoy each other until we meet again”.

Funeral Monday June 10 ^th at 9:00 am from the Hill Funeral Home, 822 Main Street, East Greenwich, relatives and friends are welcome to the Concelebrated Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 am at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 65 Third Street, East Greenwich. Burial will follow in the parish cemetery, St. Patrick’s. Calling hours: Sunday, June 9 ^th from 4 PM to 8 PM.  In lieu of flowers, donations in the memory of Lorraine Kane may be made to Catholic Relief Services , PO Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21201-3443 or support crs.org would be much appreciated.