Lorraine Sturgeon

Lorraine Marion Hunter was born on April 6, 1937 in Toronto. Her parents were Wilfred Hunter and Grace De'Merrill McMahon. She grew up in Leaside, with one sister (Beverly) and, eventually, her half-brother (Michael Jones).

Lorraine met Richard “Dick” Sturgeon when she was just 16. An uncle introduced them. They were married on June 30th in 1956. She was 19 and Richard was 22. They lived a busy and happy life from there forward, having five children: Cherryll, Brenda, Scott, Pamela, and Sean.

They were thrilled to meet each of their 8 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren, as they made their way into the family. Lorraine lost her soulmate on Thursday, April 1st, 2021. They were married nearly 65 years. 

Lorraine and Dick were very social people and they spent much of their time with family and friends. Their social natures helped them immensely in their lives – in business and otherwise. In 1965, Dick and Lorraine (along with Dick’s uncle, Jack Hepworth) opened the first take-away pizzeria in Orillia. Eventually, Bob Robertson came on the scene and the pizza joint became Angelo’s Tavern. The restaurant also employed many of the Sturgeon children along the years. Angelo’s was a lively and active business until 1978.

They loved hosting gatherings at their Bass Lake property in Orillia (as did their kids!). In Orillia, they lived a full and happy life, filling their time with work and family. They became active members of The Mariposa Theatre Company. Dick was on stage – singing and dancing – while Lorraine played many back-up roles. She was stage manager, running lines with Dick; she sang harmonies; she worked on costumes and sets for the many productions they were involved in together. 

Many happy winters were spent travelling to Florida where they built another community of friends (and family). Zephyrhills became a second home for them and many of their children and grandchildren visited them there over the years.

Thank you to the staff of the Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, and especially to Dr. Megan Stephenson, who helped to make Lorraine’s last days comfortable. 

Lorraine died on Monday, February 17th at HDMH. It would have been Dick’s 91st birthday. In her last days, when she would rouse from dreamland, Lorraine would often say that she had been dancing away the hours with Dick – and they’ll happily dance from here on forward.