Yvonne Josephine ‘Lorraine’ Bucher
RONAN — Lorraine was born on March 24, 1930, to Sidney and Edna Clairmont Shourds. She graduated from Ronan High school in 1948. She was a member of the Salish and Kootenai Tribes. She later attended nursing training at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Lewistown where she met Paul Bucher and was married on Halloween in 1949. She never knew if she tricked him or treated him. They started their lives together in the Lewistown area and later moved to Geraldine where Paul bought a Butcher and Locker plant. They lived there for 16 years before they left for the Seattle area for better opportunities for their three boys. She started working in a convalescent home and realized she should get her RN license so she when back to school.
When she retired they moved back to Montana to go to a progressive community and they picked Bozeman, as two of her sons already lived there as well as Paul’s brother and sister-in-law. She and Paul went on many trips with the senior center. She volunteered along with her sister-in-law at Bozeman Deaconess for many years before her COPD caught up will her. In 2012 they moved into Highgate Senior Living as homeownership was becoming too hard to deal with. At Highgate she was able to play card games, which she had enjoyed all of her life, even the last night she was asked if she wanted to play she responded yes.
In her last year there was talk of who was to go first Lorraine or Paul, but as in cards, she got the last trick. Paul and Lorraine would have been married 63 years on Halloween. She was a wonderful wife, mother, sister and friend.
Lorraine was preceded in death by her father and mother; step-mom Rose Shourds; and brothers Chester Shourds and Sid Shourds Jr.
She is survived by her siblings, Theresa Morigeau, Cheryl (Buck) Cheff, Nathan (Wanda) Shourds, Karen (Mick) Cheff, Rhonda Jean, Lori (Alan) Grenier, Phil (Kendra) Shourds and Alvina (Cliff) Teigen and numerous nieces and nephews. Her sons, Michael (Jeanne), Patrick and Fred (Marge), as well as eight grandchildren, three great-grandchildren (with one on the way), and numerous nieces and nephews.
We will all miss the quiet, caring, fun woman she was with all of us.
