Memorial Fund Established In The Name of Dolores Ann “Lorrie” Paulson for Let It Be Us

The family of Dolores Ann “Lorrie” Paulson has established a memorial fund in her honor.  Lorrie’s daughter, Jennifer McAndrews, is a long-time supporter of Let It Be Us and was the organization’s first board chair.  In addition to being a loving mother, Lorrie and her husband, Deane, are also adoptive parents.

Jennifer McAndrews, and her husband Peter, are also foster parents, safe families parents, as well as parents through guardianship and adoption. “Jennifer works with and for children every single day and her leadership at Let It Be Us has been extremely important.  As our original board chair we relied on Jennifer and we still do. It’s with heavy hearts that Let It Be Us accepts donations in honor of her loving and brave mother,” said Susan McConnell, executive director of Let It Be Us.

Donations may be made here.

The following is the obituary for Dolores Ann “Lorrie” Paulson:

Dolores Ann “Lorrie” Paulson passed away Tuesday, May 25th, 2021, at Cornerstone Hospice in The Villages, Florida. She was born January 6th, 1936, in Elgin to Eleanor M. Scheer and Walter A. Bowers.

She was raised on her maternal grandparents’ farm near Sutton and Penny Roads in Barrington.Lorrie attended Barrington High School and graduated in 1953. She was a cheerleader and Homecoming Princess, although she “should have been Queen”. She went on to Monticello College in Godfrey, Illinois and afterwards worked at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. Lorrie met her husband, Deane R. Paulson, in high school and they dated while he was a student at Michigan State University. Upon his graduation from the Navy’s Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, he proposed at The Viking Hotel. They were married at the United Methodist Church in Barrington, on February 6th, 1957. They spent their honeymoon driving cross-country to California, in order for Deane to return to active duty. They were stationed in Alameda and Coronado and thoroughly enjoyed their time living on the West Coast.

After three years they returned to the Chicago area. While living in Geneva, they adopted their first of two children from The Cradle Society in Evanston. They then moved to Barrington, where their second child was adopted and their youngest child was born. The couple eventually settled in the Upper Peninsula, on family property Lorrie had visited since childhood. Many happy times were spent “Up North”, fishing, water skiing and snowmobiling. Although Lorrie remarked she’d never leave her beloved Duck Lake except “feet first”, they ultimately relocated to The Villages in central Florida.

Lorrie was a stickler for neatness and had an irreverent sense of humor. She was an avid knitter and a whiz at gardening. She also loved being behind the wheel, whether it was the riding mower, the boat, or on the highway, where she would “make the good time”.We will miss her so much.

Lorrie is survived by her husband, Deane, their children, Lisa (Phil) Bringle, Chris (Tricia) Paulson and Jen (Peter) McAndrews, and their grandchildren Cameron Bringle, Emma and Eleanor Paulson, Ryan, Mike, Jack, Matt, Paul, Kevin and Kheari McAndrews, and Alexis Franck. She also leaves behind her brother, John (Kathie) Bowers, sister Patty (Phil) Baker, niece, Lauren Zuperku, and nephews, Matt Bowers, Dave Dabbert, and Mike and Jeff Hilligoss.

Services in Barrington to follow at a later date.