Lorayne Callihan

Lorayne Ellen (Tift) Callihan was born July 5th, 1928 in Harrah, WA to Lloyd G. and Elma A. (Rolstad) Tift. She passed away peacefully on July 17th at Cottage in the Meadow surrounded by her family. She had just celebrated her 91st birthday at Landmark Care Center where she was recuperating from a hip fracture. Per her request, she indulged in her favorite spice cake, topped off with cream cheese frosting. Mom was the oldest of two girls, she and her sister Bobby were best friends. After the death of her dad, their mom moved the three of them to a home on south 9th Ave. Lorayne graduated in mid 1946 from Yakima High. Along with her mom and sister, Lorayne lived on 9th Ave until she and Oren Callihan were married on November 17, 1950. After she and Oren married, they moved to rural Wapato where dad ran a small milk farm alongside his dad. There they continued to make their home in rural Wapato area. Lorayne tried her hand at retail sales working at Drapers in downtown Yakima. That didn’t last long as Lorayne didn’t like handling money. Her greatest joy came on April 1st, 1953 when their son Lloyd was born, Colleen followed in January 29th 1956. Having fresh baked chocolate chip cookies waiting for her children from their return from school was not uncommon, she enjoyed being a homemaker and the wife of a dairy farmer. Lorayne returned to the workforce in 1988, working as a cook at Harrah Elementary. During this time she became good friends with the late Frances Craig and Pam Adams whom remained close friends up until Lorayne’s passing. Both of them considered one another sisters. She retired from the school district in 1994. Lorayne loved family gatherings especially Thanksgiving and Christmas. She and her sister Bobby could always be found in the kitchen whipping up a meal along with laughter. Attempting to capture pictures of Lorayne was a chore as she detested the camera! After retirement she enjoyed reading romance novels. Saying “I Love you” was difficult for her to say and when questioned about it, she stated that it was part of her Norwegian heritage. Well that didn’t sit well with Colleen, so after each visit or phone conversation she began with saying. “I love you”. Lorayne loved being a grandma to her grandkids and great grandkids. She’d let them get away with things Lloyd and Colleen weren’t allowed to do. Lorayne is survived by her husband of 68 years, Oren, her daughter, Colleen (Rick) Foreman, her daughter-in-law Debbie Callihan, her grandsons: John (Crystal) Callihan, Andy (Erin) Foreman, granddaughter, Sarah (Jeff) Rock, three great-grandsons; Connor and Colin Callihan and Nathan Rock, first cousins; Jeanne, Shirley, and Gary, several nieces and nephews and special friend, Pam. Lorayne is preceded in death by her parents Lloyd and Elma, her sister Bobby and her son Lloyd. A Celebration of Life will be held Friday August 2nd at 1:00pm at Valley Hills Funeral Home Yakima Chapel (2600 Business Ln. Yakima WA 98901) Memorial contributions may be made to Union Gospel mission or preferred charity. Please visit www.valleyhillsfh.com to share a memory or condolence. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Lorayne Callihan, please visit our flower store.