Lorna Kay Van Otterloo

Lorna Kay Van Otterloo was born November 28, 1953 to Lester and Lorraine (Jasper) Mars in Orange City, Iowa. They resided on the family farm in Alton, Iowa. When she was an infant, her family moved to Fort Hood, Texas for a year while her father was stationed there in the United States Army. They returned home to the family farm in 1955 where she spent the remainder of her childhood. Lorna was baptized and made her Profession of Faith at Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Orange City. She attended Orange City Christian Elementary School and graduated from Unity Christian High School with the class of 1972. Lorna was united in marriage to Marlen Dean Van Otterloo on June 8, 1973 at the Calvary Christian Reformed Church. The couple briefly lived in Hull, Iowa and then moved to Ames, Iowa in the fall of 1973 while Marlen attended veterinary school. During this time, Lorna took a job at the Carriage House Meat Packing Plant in Ames. In the spring of 1978, they moved to Lennox, South Dakota for Marlen's work. They lived in Lennox until the fall of 1979, when they moved and made their home in Luverne, Minnesota. During the couple's time in Lennox and their first few years in Luverne, Lorna worked as a full-time mom and homemaker. In the fall of 1983, she began her career at Minn-I-Kota Veterinary Clinic. She continued her work alongside her husband for the next 30 years. Lorna never thought of this as work, however, as she truly loved her job and instantly adopted each animal that came through the door. In the fall of 2012 she retired but continued volunteering at the clinic as her health would permit. On Tuesday, September 10, 2013, Lorna died peacefully with her family by her side at the Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage at the age of 59 years, 9 months and 12 days.

Lorna was a member of the Living Hope Evangelical Free Church in Edgerton, Minnesota. For much of her life she enjoyed actively participating in and leading Calvinettes/GEMS, a group that helps girls and women develop their faith and enthusiastically express their love for God and others. Lorna enjoyed sewing, quilting, antiques, horses, dogs, cooking, canning, and mowing the yard. Lorna loved her role as Mom and Grandma and cherished time spent with her children and grandchildren.

Lorna is remembered by her husband of 40 years, Marlen; their four children, Martin (Rosie) Van Otterloo of Shakopee, Minnesota, Leslie Van Otterloo of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Michael (Christin) Van Otterloo of Viborg, South Dakota, and Merrick (Tessa) Van Otterloo of Edgerton, Minnesota; two grandchildren, Arianna and Nathan; her parents, Lester and Lorraine Mars of Orange City, Iowa; four siblings, Linda (Ron) Kreykes of Fort Worth, Texas, Lisa (Mark) Davelaar of Maurice, Iowa, Lyle (Brenda) Mars of Alton, Iowa, and Lashell (Michael) Baljeu of Gobles, Michigan; and other family and friends. She was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, John and Kate Jasper; and paternal grandparents, Peter and Nettie Mars.